Americans love clam chowder. It’s so popular, it even has its own national holiday. We love it so much, we call it the quintessential New England soup. It’s one of our favorites, and we serve it in the thousands of restaurants across the country. Clam chowder is a soup with clams in it. Sometimes you’ll find fish in it too, but most of the time the seafood is clams. The onions and potatoes are sautéed in bacon drippings, and broth is used instead of water to give it more flavor and a thicker consistency. Clams and chowder recipes have been around for decades. The first written record of adding clams to a soup recipe appeared in 1832. Since then, a variety of recipes have popped up on both coasts. New England and Manhattan chowders are perhaps the most well-known, but over the years chefs have developed other popular recipes.

February 25th is National Clam Chowder Day.

We have been unable thus far to find the creator of this national day, but we will be sure to keep you posted.