A Brief History of Clam Chowder
Red, white, or clear, the history of chowder is as rich as its flavor.
New England clam chowder is defined as "a thick chowder made from clams, potatoes, onions, sometimes salt pork, and milk or cream." The
recipe usually calls for heavy cream, light cream, or whole milk as the
base for the soup. This addition of milk or cream — producing the
soup's unmistakable white color — is the biggest difference between
the New England style and all the rest. This version is also often
thickened with oyster crackers and doesn't include any vegetables except
potatoes. Today, the soup can be found all over the country, but is
still most popular in the North East. Maine and Massachusetts may be the
two states most associated with the cream-based clam chowder. In fact,
it is known as one of Maine's most iconic dishes and is considered a classic in Boston's historic neighborhoods.
Manhattan clam chowder is most often
recognized by its red color, coming from the use of tomatoes and tomato
paste. The broth is much thinner than the thick New England version and
while it also includes potatoes, most Manhattan-style chowders boast a
variety of vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and garlic for added
flavor. The first recipe for "Manhattan Clam Chowder" was published in 1934 in a cookbook called Soups and Sauces by
Virginia Elliott and Robert Jones. While the name "Manhattan" stuck,
the soup has little to do with New York City's most popular borough.
(Eater.com)
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