National New England Clam Chowder Day Date in the current year: January 21, 2024

It is believed that chowder originated in coastal fishing villages of France and in the Cornwall region of Southwestern England in the 16th century. At that time any kind of chowder was a poor man's dish. It was cooked in a large cooking pot called chaudière, which has transformed into "chowder". This is only one of the versions of the origin of the word.

The soup was brought to America by French and English immigrants. The first printed recipe of chowder was found in the Boston Evening-Post dated September 23, 1751. The recipe called for pork, onions, fish, pepper, salt, herbs (parsley, sweet marjoram, savory, thyme), and biscuits.

Clam chowder, just like its name suggests, contains clams. It originated in New England, and although other variations of the dish have since emerged, the original one remains the most popular one. In addition to clams, New England clam chowder contains milk or cream, potatoes, celery, onions, and salt pork. It is usually served with oyster crackers, which are either crushed and mixed into the soup as a thickening agent or used as a garnish.