Rhode Island clam chowder is all about the clams.
From its unusual culinary specialties like snail salad, to its unusual local names for common foodstuffs ("cabinets" are what the rest of the country calls milkshakes), Rhode Island has always gone its own way with food. Like the rest of their New England neighbors, Rhode Islanders enjoy clam chowder made with locally caught clams. But Rhode Island clam chowder is unlike that found anywhere else on the Eastern Seaboard. While there is only one basic type of Rhode Island clam chowder -- a clear broth made with Quahog clam -- there are countless minor variations on it, each of which can be debated passionately by Rhode Island cooks and diners.
Clam Preparation and Soup Base
Rhode Islanders boast that their chowder is superior to all others because the flavor of the clams is unencumbered by cream, tomatoes or other fillers. Without dominant ingredients in its brothy base, Rhode Island clam chowder relies solely on the quality and quantity of the clams selected by the cook. Fans insist that only Quahogs -- a large, hard-shelled, briny clam variety -- can appear in an authentic Rhode Island clam chowder. But the exact form the clams take in the finished dish -- whole, chopped or minced -- varies from cook to cook.
Meat Flavoring Options
Like many other chowder varieties, Rhode Island clam chowder typically has a meaty flavor contributed by salt pork. Variants of Rhode Island clam chowder sometimes include bacon instead of salt pork or omit the meat altogether and simply add butter for extra richness. Traditionalists argue, however, that salt pork is the most authentic choice. Given that salt pork appears in America's first published chowder recipe (dating to 1751), they are correct from at least a purely historical perspective.
Vegetables
Onions and potatoes are an essential part of the soup's flavor profile. How much potato to use, and how big to cut the pieces, are another matter of debate for Rhode Island cooks. Corn and celery are other possible ingredients in some recipes.
Other Possible Variations
Some recipes for Rhode Island clam chowder call for herbs such as thyme and chervil (options considered heresy by traditionalists). Extra flavorings such as Worcestershire sauce or red pepper flakes also appear in some recipes. While Rhode Island clam chowder is never cooked with milk or cream, a pitcher of warm milk is traditionally served along with the chowder for diners to add at will -- but some aficionados feel a well-made Rhode Island clam chowder tastes perfectly fine without it.
Tags: Rhode Island, Rhode Island clam, clam chowder, Island clam chowder, Island clam, Island clam