Clam chowder

History

The earliest-established and most popular variety of clam chowder, the milk-based New England clam chowder, was introduced to the region by French, Nova Scotian, or British settlers, becoming common in the 18th century. The first recipe for Manhattan clam chowder, with tomatoes and no milk, was published before 1919, and the current name is attested in 1934. In 1939, the legislature of the state of Maine considered outlawing the use of tomatoes in clam chowder, but this did not pass.

Primary variants and styles

Since the popularity of New England clam chowder spread throughout the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, many other variants have developed.

Delaware clam chowder

This variety typically consists of fried cubed salt pork, salted water, potatoes, diced onions, quahog clams, butter, salt, and pepper. This variety was more common in the early and mid-20th century, and likely shares most recent common ancestry with New England clam chowder.

Hatteras clam chowder

Served throughout North Carolina's Outer Banks region, this variation of clam chowder has clear broth, bacon, potatoes, onions, and flour as a thickening agent. It is usually seasoned with copious amounts of white or black pepper, and occasionally with chopped green onions or even hot pepper sauce.

Long Island clam chowder

Long Island clam chowder is part New England-style and part Manhattan-style, making it a pinkish creamy tomato clam chowder. The name is a joke: Long Island is between Manhattan and New England. The two parent chowders are typically cooked separately before being poured in the same bowl. This variant is popular in many small restaurants across Suffolk County, New York.

Manhattan clam chowder

Manhattan clam chowder has a red, tomato-based broth. The addition of tomatoes in place of milk was initially the work of Portuguese immigrants in Rhode Island, as tomato-based stews were already a traditional part of Portuguese cuisine.

In the 1890s, this chowder was called "Fulton Fish Market clam chowder" and "New York City clam chowder." The "Manhattan" name is first attested in a 1934 cookbook. Manhattan clam chowder is included in Victor Hirtzler's Hotel St. Francis Cookbook (1919) as "clam chowder."

Today, Manhattan-style chowder often contains some vegetables, such as peppers, celery and carrots.

Minorcan clam chowder

Minorcan clam chowder is a spicy version found in Florida restaurants near St. Augustine and the northeast corner of Florida. It has a tomato broth base, with datil pepper, an extremely hot chili comparable to the habanero. The datil is believed to have been brought to St. Augustine by Menorcan settlers in the 18th century, and tradition holds among their descendants that it will only thrive and grow in two places: Menorca, Spain, and St. Augustine, Florida.

New England clam chowder

New England clam chowder, occasionally referred to as Boston or Boston-style Clam Chowder, is a milk or cream-based chowder, and is often of a thicker consistency than other regional styles, even though traditionally it is rather thin. It is commonly made with milk, butter, potatoes, salt pork, onion, and clams. Some many late 19th and early 20th century recipes use condensed milk.

New England clam chowder is usually accompanied by oyster crackers. Crown Pilot Crackers were a popular brand of cracker to accompany chowder, until the product was discontinued in 2008. Crackers may be crushed and mixed into the soup for thickener, or used as a garnish.

Rhode Island clam chowder

One Rhode Island clam chowder has a tomato broth base and potatoes but, unlike Manhattan style, no chunks of tomato and no other vegetables. Its origins are reportedly Portuguese and it was commonly served with clamcakes.

Another Rhode Island clam chowder is made with clear broth; this is common from eastern Connecticut to southeastern Rhode Island. In southeastern Rhode Island, it is sometimes called "South County Style" referring to Washington County, where it allegedly originated. In other parts of New England, it contains quahogs, broth, potatoes, onions, and bacon.

Clear clam chowder

Clear clam chowder is based on clear broth, and so has a thinner consistency thinner than Manhattan or New England styles. It sometimes adds mussels or steamers.

Other variations

There are many other variants. For example:

• Clam chowder is sometimes served in sourdough bread bowls, especially in San Francisco, where sourdough bread is popular with tourists, and has been considered a signature dish since 1849.
• Except for the substitution of smoked haddock for clams, chowder is similar to the traditional Scots cullen skink.
• Fish chowder is similar to clam chowder except that filleted fish, often cod, is substituted for the clams.
• In Pacific Northwest cuisine, a salmon chowder is also popular.