What’s your style?
All the ones I could find (though I’ll admit I’ve only ever had the first 2):
New England: the classic white
Manhattan: the classic red
Rhode Island: the clear
Delaware: NE w/salt pork
Outer Banks: clear w/bacon
Minorcan: red w/datil pepper
Long Island: creamy red
Northwestern: white w/smoked salmon
Poll coming…
I’ve only ever had the New England type, but some of those others sound nummy!
I’m an avid proponent of the classic New England clam chowder. I don’t like it being fancied up with any extra shit.
Gotta go with NE style.
If you ever find yourself in Bodega Bay, you have to try the chowder at Spud Point Crab Company. The best I’ve had in California.
Yeah, I’ve only ever had the first two (and I prefer New England), but some of the others sound great.
Oh, shoot. I voted New England, but I guess I should have voted Delaware. I thought New England clam chowder was traditionally made on salt pork, no? That’s how I make it. Does that mean I’m making Delaware chowder then?
Reading the description on Wikipedia (I seem to be unable to find a recipe online), Delaware chowder is made with cubes of salt pork, while NE clam chowder has finely diced salt pork. Is this the distinction?
I don’t know. That Wikipedia article is where I got my info from, and almost all other info I found on the web regarding it reads verbatim. I was originally just going to do NE vs Manhattan but I wanted to be as complete as possible.
Good Manhattan clam chowder is a gift from the gods. But it can vary (canned Manhattan is mediocre).
New England is dependable – good whether it’s fresh or from a can. But it never reaches the epitome of soupdom that a top-notch Manhattan can.
I prefer the Manhattan kind with oyster crackers floating on top. Nathan’s used to have very good Manhattan clam chowder on the menu but I haven’t seen it there in years.
It’s not soup, it’s chowder.
Shou-dere.
chowdah!
The now closed Leschi Cafe in Seattle used to serve a white, potato-free, geoduck chowder that was the best I’ve ever had…
Northwestern and Delaware sound fabulous!
As a New England native, I have never been able to fully wrap myself around the idea of Manhattan-style chowders. New York City pizza blows away most of New England (with the possible exception of New Haven), but they aren’t even in the same ballpark for chowdas…)
I voted for all of the ones that sounded good, even though I’ve never had them.
New England, of course.
The best clam chowder I’ve ever had was in a seafood restaurant in New Hampshire. It was very thick and they didn’t cheap out on the clams at all. Yum… I’ve never had anything that good ever since.
I don’t see why “Delaware” clam chowder is any different from New England. So they do something somewhat different with salt pork. Seems like an affectation to me.
That’s why I voted for both. They seem equivalent.
shakes head Silly.
Prepares to be yelled at
I prefer New England style but with cheese.