I usually only like to eat New England style clam chowder when I am, in fact, IN New England. Having resided in Nantucket, I know good chowda’. I know crap chowda’. And I’ve probably eaten everything in between. Still, I miss it, and yesterday was cool and blustery, making it a very Nantuckety kind of day.
This recipe is certainly my fave of “make at home” clam chowders. I used more carrots than recommended (I always do). I used maybe a bit more potato. It calls for cans of chopped clams in juice, which makes me squeamish, but my butcher was just out of fresh, so I bought whole baby clams, and I’m glad I did. It needed the juice and the flavor was great.
I served my chowder with fresh bread instead of crackers, but in retrospect, I missed the crackers. Who misses crackers? Girls who used to throw on a sweater and walk downtown in the mist to grab a mug of chowder on a cold, New England island, that’s who. Good times, good times. Sending light and love to my Nantucket Roomies, Mia, Ruthie, and Ken, who taught me how to eat proper seafood.