National Clam Chowder Day Date in the current year: February 25, 2024

Chowder is a type of thick soup that originated as a shipboard dish. It was brought to the New World by English and French seafarers and immigrants. There are many varieties of chowder depending on the ingredients: fish chowder, seafood chowder, corn chowder, potato chowder, and, of course, clam chowder.

Just like the name suggests, clam chowder is made with clams. They were supposedly used by early colonists because they were easily available. In addition to them, common ingredients of traditional New England clam chowder, which is the earliest-established variety of this soup, include milk or cream, potatoes, onions, celery, and salt pork.

From New England, clam chowder spread throughout the country, and many regional variations have emerged. The free most prevalent variations are New England clam chowder, Rhode Island clam chowder and Manhattan clam chowder, also known as “white”, “clear”, and “red” clam chowder, respectively.

As we’ve already mentioned above, New England clam chowder, sometimes referred to as Boston clam chowder, is the most traditional variation of the dish. It is usually served with oyster crackers, which may be crushed into the soup to make it thicker.

Rhode Island (“clear”) clam chowder is made with clear broth instead of milk. It is often served with clam cakes (deep-fried battered clams). Finally, Manhattan (“red”) clam chowder has tomato-based broth. Interestingly, this variation of clam chowder originated among Portuguese immigrants in Rhode Island, but it became truly popular in New York. In addition to tomatoes, Manhattan clam chowder may contain peppers, carrots and celery.

Less prevalent regional variations of clam chowder include Hatteras clam chowder, Maine clam chowder, Long Island clam chowder, and Minorcan clam chowder. Hatteras clam chowder is served throughout the Outer Banks of North Carolina; it is made of clear broth, flour (as a thickener), potatoes, onions, and bacon. In Maine, clam chowder contains no bacon or salt pork, but is often topped with melted butter before serving.

Long Island clam chowder is “the golden mean” between New England and Manhattan clam chowder: it contains both milk and tomatoes, which results in a pinkish creamy soup. It is usually made by mixing two separately cooked soups together. Minorcan clam chowder is commonly found in parts of Florida. It is a spicy soup with tomato broth and datil pepper (a very hot variety of chili pepper).

Clam chowder, like other thick soups or stews, may be served in a bread bowl. Piping hot clam chowder in a crusty sourdough bread bowl has been considered a signature San Francisco dish since the mid-19th century. One of the best places to try out clam chowder in San Francisco is Fisherman’s Wharf with its many restaurants, diners, cafes, and seafood stands.