Why "clam" chowder? Why not shrimp or scallops or crab? 

Somehow it is just good!

A New England clam chowder, made as it should be, is a dish to preach about, to chant praises and sing hymns and burn incense before. To fight for. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought for--or on--clam chowder; part of it at least, I am sure it was. It is as American as the Stars and Stripes, as patriotic as the national Anthem. it is 'Yankee Doodle in a kettle.'"--Joseph C. Lincoln

The clam was thriving along the New England shore well in advance of the Pilgrims' arrival and also before the introduction of chowder. The clam's vital protein helped save the Pilgrims in their first winter at Plymouth (letters from the Pilgrims mention clams and mussels as food that was "at our doors").

In his book "Cod," Mark Kurlansky presents the case for English, Cornish or French fishermen as the creators of fish "chowder," the forerunner of clam chowder. The case for the French is based on the large iron pot, a chaudiere, that was standard equipment on their fishing boats. It is an easy jump from chaudiere to chowder.

While I don't know what the fish hopper restaurant uses for their recipe I can say after years of making clam chowder in the restaurant that I know how to create that satisfying flavor that makes this soup unique.The recipe needs not be monkeyed with too much. Some recipes are better when not improved on very much and clam chowder is one. The clam flavor is delicate and gets lost easily with too much starchy thickening, herbs, seasoning or bacon flavor. My chef friends and I, will rant about the awful recipes that we see being served today, and one  we joke about is the "white mud" that they call clam chowder. Although a nice thick soup can be satisfying, we have found you will lose the clam flavor that distinguishes it from potato soup, and has made it a national icon celebrated every Friday in most of the states, since colonial times. Even Melville wrote of its curiously satisfying qualities  in his book Moby Dick. 

 I have talked with chefs that have their secret recipe which people flock to every Friday, even calling ahead to reserve their bowls. I have found that their recipes do not change  much. The formula is easy to achieve a silky smooth stock with that rich clam flavor. Good chunks of potato, chewy clams, and  and some onion and celery. Most of the chefs I know feel that without the whipping cream it doesn't have the pizzaz that they like, but I think it still has plenty of clam charisma without it. Sure enough my searching on the web showed that most of the clam chowder recipes from featured restaurants, are very close to the following  recipe. 

This recipe is adapted from my Grandmother's recipe
Recipes from a German Grandmother

New England Clam Chowder

½ lb. bacon, chopped

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced (or Red or White skinned potatoes work well unpeeled)

2 Tbs. butter

1 ½ C. chopped onions

1 C chopped celery (about 3 ribs)

1/2  teaspoon whole thyme (dried, powdered can be used also) 

2 6 oz. cans chopped clams

3 cups milk

1 C cream (substitute milk if desired)

1 C. bottled clam juice (water if  not available)

Salt and pepper to taste.

2 T flour or cornstarch  mixed with 1/2 C water

 

1Brown the bacon in a large dutch-oven sized pan. Remove bacon, leaving drippings in pan. 

2. Add onions and celery  simmering them in drippings to partially cook. 

Add flour , stir in and cook for 1 minute.

3.Add potatoes, liquid from the 2 cans of clams (reserve clams to be added later, as they toughen with cooking). Clam juice or water, 2 Tbs. Butter, salt and pepper. 

4.Stir over medium heat till potatoes are tender. 

5. Add milk, clams, and bacon. 

6.If you desire a thicker chowder add the extra flour or cornstarch paste to to the chowder when it is done and let it simmer for 1 minute. 

7.Serving suggestion .Cut a lid out of a small round loaf of sourdough bread like you do a pumpkin. Hollow out most of the bread. Toast lightly in the oven and serve the soup in the bread bowl

Here is another of my Grandmothers tricks  that is quick and makes a great;

QUICK CHOWDER

For the diced potatoes and chopped onions, substitute:

1 pkg. (32 oz.) frozen cube-style Hash Brown Potatoes

1 Pkg. (12 oz.) frozen chopped onions.

Follow the above directions for Clam Chowder, substituting the frozen ingredients for the fresh ones.