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Christmas Clam Chowder Makes the Meal

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Nov 22, 2025 - 20:21

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New England Clam Chowder

A Dish Worthy of Song

I never think of chowder without having the words of the Bing Crosby melody pop into my head: Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder?

In the Irish folk tune, Tim Nolan gets fuming mad and declares he’ll “lick the mick,” who did the dastardly deed. No one owns up.

Chowder Confession

Finally, Mrs. Murphy recovers from having fainted upon seeing the pants at the bottom of her cooking pot. She confesses that it was her fault. She’d been washing laundry earlier in the day and had neglected to remove the pants.

Whereupon a song was composed on the spot to commemorate the incident. It seems the Irish can find humor in most anything.

Robin making New England Clam Chowder a few Christmases ago.

Hog Food??

Truth be known, our forefathers weren’t much on clams. The Pilgrims fed them to their hogs! But today people react to chowder a lot like they do chili. Preparing it is often a matter of local preference and one with little agreement even among New Englanders.

Tom’s version of the famed chowder

Everyone has a “best ever” recipe. There’s a thick, creamy-based variety. A thin chowder. One that’s clear. And a white (New England) version and one with a red, briny broth from the addition of tomatoes (Manhattan).

Praise the Chowder and Pass the Oyster Crackers

Chowders can come with fish, corn, or other vegetables. Some vintage recipes call for “two gills of wine,” which is equivalent to a half cup of vino. It seems the versatile fish stew is adjustable to about any taste and locality.

Yankee Doodle in a Kettle

The Mark Twain of Cape Cod, author Joseph C. Lincoln, went overboard in his praise. He called the fish stew “a dish to preach about and to chant praises. One to sing hymns and burn incense before. To fight for. It’s Yankee Doodle in a kettle.”

Hmm . . . sounds like ol’ Joe put a few more gills of wine in his chowder than the average recipe calls for.