New England Clam Chowder

[Cyrano]

I like New England clam chowder, but I live 600 miles from the sea and have to rely on canned chowder. There's only about two brands available here; Campbells and Bar Harbor. To put the matter gently, neither is very palatable. Does anyone know of a good canned clam chowder, preferably one available by mail?

 

[jeffsmith]

Snow's Clam Chowder I remember being Palatable for Canned

When my wife makes her Clam "Chowdah" Homemade
she uses Snow's Products

Available from Amazon & other vendors

 

[Alk8944]

I can't say it is great, but definitely better than Campbell's. Wal-Mart's House brand Clam Chowder, believe it or not. As a matter of fact, Wal-Mart brands are often better than the name brand of many things!

 

[Salty RI]

I never eat chowder out of a can but I heard Snows is good with a little Doctoring up. I only eat RI chowder, made from clam broth.

 

[wnwitzell]

The thick pastey goo sold as New England clam chowder is a travesty. Nothing compares with some sautéed onion, salt pork, clams and clam juice, and a little half and half. Large cans of chopped clams can be had at Costco seasonally.

 

[bgrafsr]

Cappy's in Camden, Maine has good canned clam chowder, but being there and eating it in the restaurant is much better.

 

[TTSH]

Snow's Clam Chowder I remember being Palatable for Canned.

I never eat chowder out of a can but I heard Snows is good with a little Doctoring up.

For those folks who haven't been shopping lately, Snow's clam chowder is now Bumble Bee clam chowder.

No wonder I couldn't find it when the good wife sent me out shopping.

Salty RI is right about the need to doctor up almost any canned clam chowder regardless of brand.

One clam chowder I absolutely can't stand without huge & major doctoring is Progresso. It is so tasteless and bland that they shouldn't even call it clam chowder.

 

[Salty RI]

The thick pastey goo sold as New England clam chowder is a travesty. Nothing compares with some sautéed onion, salt pork, clams and clam juice, and a little half and half. Large cans of chopped clams can be had at Costco seasonally.

Leave out the 1/2&1/2 and you have RI clam chowda.

 

[TTSH]

Leave out the 1/2&1/2 and you have RI clam chowda.

Ha!!! Come on now Salty! Leave out the clams and add nothing but boiled potatoes and milk and then you have real Rhode Island clam chowder!!!

 

[Salty RI]

Cappy's in Camden, Maine has good canned clam chowder, but being there and eating it in the restaurant is much better.

I used to go on the Windjammer cruise's out of Canden.

 

[Salty RI]

Ha!!! Come on now Salty! Leave out the clams and add nothing but boiled potatoes and milk and then you have real Rhode Island clam chowder!!!

I never eat chowda here during July and August, there are so many people here when it comes to a boil, they are selling it, I always go a few miles inland for chowda.

 

[UncleEd]

Well, I prefer New York clam chowder. Always have.

 

[Bill Bates]

The thick pastey goo sold as New England clam chowder is a travesty. Nothing compares with some sautéed onion, salt pork, clams and clam juice, and a little half and half. Large cans of chopped clams can be had at Costco seasonally.

I'm a New England transplant. Witzell has it just right. Most chowder these days is thick and pasty and nothin like the clam, fish and corn chowders I grew up with which were more of a milky creamy soup.

 

[Salty RI]

Well, I prefer New York clam chowder. Always have.

Oh the red stuff, I guess you get your Salsa from NYC.

 

[TTSH]

I never eat chowda here during July and August, there are so many people here when it comes to a boil, they are selling it, I always go a few miles inland for chowda.

I have had some of the worst (boiled potatoes in hot milk) clam chowda ever down in Little Rhody... and also some of the very best clam chowda... ever... anywhere!

And I love your annual "Great Chowder Cook-Off" event!

GREAT CHOWDER COOK-OFF « Rhode Island Waterfront Events

 

[Salty RI]

We used to have a cook off in So Kingstown, the town next to us, it was put on by the old guy who owned the Dodge dealership, when he retired that was the end of it.

 

[chaparrito]

Chowder by every definition I ever read is made with a broth thickened by milk or cream and often potatoes. I never understood how Manhattan Clam Chowder claims to be chowder at all. It's not the clams that make it chowder.

 

[BearBio]

Canned chowder: Jakes (from Jake's Crawfish in Portland, OR).

Homemade:
Sauté onions and bacon, celery and a little grated carrot. Add clams, a bottle of clam broth (I use whole baby clams and chopped clams-1 can each), chopped potatoes (lots) and water as needed. Add whole cream, butter and salt and pepper (A little Old Bay?), parsley (?). Serve with crackers or home-made sourdough. Home grown potatoes are the best.

 

[Coldshooter]

Canned chowder: Jakes (from Jake's Crawfish in Portland, OR).
.

BearBio is probably right here Jakes is a great restaurant. Fred Meyer which is part of Kroger sells Ivar's which is packed in a vacuum bag and in the frozen foods. Ivar's is in Seattle so this may be a northwest product.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Strange thread.
First I find out that Rhode Island is not an island.
Then I find out that the Clam Chowder there don't have any clams in it.
Then, the best Rhode Island chowder is at a Dodge Dealership?
I have been known to eat Campbell Chowder, somebody has to!
They make a bunch of it!
I will try some of the other ones.