#clam chowder

I’d be an asshole too if my seafood were shit and I had to eat Panera Bread bullshit every time I wanted seafood. You all are misunderstood and hurting, broken people. My heart goes out to all of you.

However, a warm savory steam from the kitchen served to belie the apparently cheerless prospect before us. But when that smoking chowder came in, the mystery was delightfully explained. Oh, sweet friends! hearken to me. It was made of small juicy clams, scarcely bigger than hazel nuts, mixed with pounded ship biscuit, and salted pork cut up into little flakes; the whole enriched with butter, and plentifully seasoned with pepper and salt. - Moby Dick

What Herman Meville describes here is a very famous New England dish - the clam chowder. A chowder is "a soup or stew of seafood (such as clams or fish) usually made with milk or tomatoes, salt pork, onions and other vegetables". Whilst there are different types of chowder, clam chowder is undoubtedly the best known. The definition of chowder varies depending on the part of the country, but most contain clams, potatoes, onions and some form of pork. Some use milk or another type of broth, but this type of dish was very popular on board ships where it was cooked and served in different ways. According to Savouring Gotham: A Food Lovers Companion to New York City, it is believed that New England chowder was introduced to the region by French, Nova Scotian or British settlers and became a common dish in the region around 1700. The chowder grew in popularity over the years and, according to What's Cooking America, was served in Boston as early as 1836 at Ye Olde Union Oyster House (the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the country).

But let's get to the recipe so you can cosy up at home with your copy of Moby Dick and enjoy a nice serving of clam chowder.

What do you need: 1 small onion 1 kilogram of salted pork 2 medium potatoes 1 1/2 cups of water 1 tin with about 200 grams of clams 1 bottle with about 350ml clam juice

1/8 teaspoon of pepper 1 1/2 cup of milk

To prepare:

cut the meat into pieces of about 2.5c and brown in a pan over a medium heat. Then set aside.

chop the onions and fry them in the pan, in the meantime cut the potatoes into small pieces and add them to the onions, cover with water and cook until the potatoes are soft.

add the clams and their juice and season with pepper. Cook over a medium heat until they are steaming.

Add 1 1/2 cups of milk. Heat over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the meat and serve. Best eaten with ship's biscuits or fresh bread, if available.

Draw Chowder. That’s it. Chowder.

I’ve updated their design so here’s a reference image:

The challenge will go until Pluto completes its orbit around the sun! When will that be? March 23, 2178. Clocks ticking, guys.

Here’s some facts about Chowder to possibly help:

Chowder is a Gigas Giant Clam!

These bullet points are weird

Chowder doesn’t actually speak, they emote through beeping noises, which in drawing, translates as emojis in speech bubbles :)

There are no eyes or mouth, just a visor and vents underneath the neck guard

They appreciate a good head pat

If Chowder is slightly unsure of something, FUCKING PANIC

Chowder is calm, chill, cool, collected….clam…..

Chowder is around 5 feet tall

Being in alt mode is like loafing for em. Comfy space…..

Here’s some more doodles of different aspects of them if needed

Have fun! :) I certainly will muh hahahahahaa