The word chowder comes from the Latin word calderia, which means cook pot. Originally, ingredients were layered in a cauldron and cooked down into a stew. Fish stews are the predecessors of clam chowders. Early
settlers made chowders using any and every available vegetable and protein. Before the advent of cookbooks, American magazines and newspapers printed chowder recipes as well known dietary staples. In 1751, the Boston Evening Post printed
what has become known as the oldest recipe for fish chowder. Notably absent from modern recipes are salt pork and ship biscuit, which were included in many early chowder recipes as primary ingredients. Today, almost every country that
is bordered by water has a regional chowder variation.
Essentially, chowder is a vegetable or seafood stew with a base that is thickened with cream or milk. Chowders can be served alone or as a side dish and are fantastic for warming up on a cold day when served with fresh baked biscuits. There
are many varieties of chowders, the most common being New England clam. This popular stew makes a hearty meal and consists of chopped clams, potatoes and other vegetables in a combined milk and cream base. Other variations include Manhattan
clam chowder, which substitutes a tomato base and doesn't include potatoes, corn chowder, assorted fish chowders and potato chowder. |
