Saturday, September 24, 2011

Weekend Cooking... "Chowda!"

Did I mention that I was heading to Maine this week?

No, I didn't.

Well I am in Maine.
I drove up on Tuesday, spent a few days in Portland and am now
in the mid-coast area. Camden, Rockport, Rockland. And of course the town of South Thomaston, where I was lucky enough to get a personalize tour of the library (ok..it is pretty much one room, but a great one room!)from the person in charge, Tutu herself, of Tutu Two Cents. We dined on Maine's version of a cheesesteak and whoopie pie at a local establishment and a grand time was had by all.
But enough about that..for now.

This post is about food and the food in question if chowder, clam chowder! Hot and creamy, full of potatoes and clams.
So I have been doing a study. A small study granted, since I only have two samples so far. But they are reported to be excellent examples of the dish in question, so I think that is fair.

The first example was from Gilbert's Chowder in Portland, a place that has often won awards for the best clam chowder in Maine. And it was very, very good.
The second was from The Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth. Very good but different. Thinner, more milky broth, but with a great clam flavor.

How to pick...how to pick. Well, if i had to vote between the two, I think I would go with the first, pictured to the right here, from Gilbert's. Very thick and creamy, full of nice clams..delicious.
You might notice a small serving of fried clams that I  also had at Gilbert's. And a fry or two..and some cole slaw.
Maybe a beer.
But I did skip dessert and felt very noble about it
!

Not that I would ever turn down the second, from the Lobster Shack. Of course it might also help that it is perched on the edge of the water, with a wonderful view. At least when the fog clears.
There has been a lot of fog and drizzle on this trip. It makes for great atmosphere!!

Now, for the sad part of this post.
I was going to close with my sister in law's recipe for clam chowder.

It is an excellent recipe that makes an excellent chowder that rivals either of these.

But as I sit here in my motel, on my laptop, I find that for some reason, I do not have it in my recipe file. I must just have a paper copy at home.What was I thinking?

But I must get on with my day and don't have the time to write another post!
More chowder is out there waiting...and lobster rolls...not to mention whoopie pies!

But I will send each and every one of you a pint of chowder in the mail to make up for it.
Ok, not really. But I would if I could!




This is my contribution this to this week's Weekend Cooking.
"Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend."
Be sure to check out the other entries this week. As always, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.


18 comments:

  1. We used to go to Ogunquit all the time when I was in middle/high school...your post made me smile thinking of those times in Maine.

    On the chowder front, we were always divided growing up between the Mnahattan clam chowder devotees and the New England version...I was a New England girl :)

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  2. Way to make miss Maine! We are usually on a lobster roll hunt when we're in Maine but Mr. BFR was just saying how he thinks we should switch to chowder ... I'm all for it.

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  3. How is it that at 10:30 in the morning, after I have had my Kashi cereal and some grapes, that my stomach is rumbling for some fried clams and clam chowder? I can't stand it! Please just eat another portion for me please.

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  4. Sounds like a great trip! I would love to have some of those clams and the chowder. Any chowder. Developed a shellfish allergy and clams were my favorite. Both look fantastic to me.

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  5. Delightful post, and thanks for the intro to Tutu. I had never visited her blog.

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  6. Oh how I love Maine! We stayed in Camden last summer... it was idyllic.

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  7. My heart skipped a beat when I got to the sentence about getting a pint of chowder in the mail :) I love chowder, but I love deep fried clams even more. Your picture reminded me of some wonderful meals I've had in Nova Scotia - Maine is definitely on my list of destinations I'd like to visit!

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  8. What fun! Maine is on my wish list of places to go. It is very far from Missouri! Love the clam chowder comparisons.

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  9. Clams and chowder seems to me to be quintessentially American cuisine!

    I do remember having chowder in San Francisco - perfect food for a perfect place!

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  10. I really do enjoy reading your Weekend Cooking posts. They are always fun. And I'm not saying that because you almost sent me a pint of clam chowder. Although that would have been so nice. I'll settle for the promise of your sister's recipe.

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  11. I have never had clam chowder before. But I have always find the name sound so interesting. It sound tasty without even knowing what it exactly is :)

    Her is my weekend cooking:
    http://shelikesbento.blogspot.com/2011/09/weekend-cooking-herbal-cheese-pancakes.html

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  12. Wow, talk about a dream weekend - Maine, clam chowder and getting to meet Tutu!! I am green with envy, green I tell ya!

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  13. I want to try the fried clams. Never had them.

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  14. Your recipe looks delicious. Unfortunately neither of us can eat seafood :( I hear that there are other kinds of chowder you can make without the clams, but I suspect, not nearly as tasty!

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  15. Your trips always sound like so much fun! I want to know when you're going to come down my way. I'll give you a tour of something - I'm not sure what, but I'll come up with something.

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  16. I will have you know that I am continuing my study of the chowda.

    I am only doing it for you, my dear readers!

    Had some haddock chowder yesterday in Bath and some more clam chowder tonight in Southwest Harbor, near Bar Harbor....and a stone's throw from the Bass Harbor lighthouse.

    I see lighthouses in the future of my readers.

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  17. Tutu is chiming in to say how absolutely delightful it was to be able to meet Caite, and to offer the opportunity to sample a whoopie pie. One can overdose on chowda and must have a palette cleansing every so often to be able to be more discriminating on your next lobstah roll or bowl of chowdah. Whoopies can go easily into the car to take home. It's harder to pack up a quart of chowder or a couple lobsters.

    It's always great to be able to meet and greet our fellow bloggers, so let's all be sure not to be so shy.

    And Caite--I hope the fog lifted enough for your great lighthouse cruise. I can't wait to see the photos.

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  18. are there different kinds of whoopie pies?

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