Growing up in New England, clam chowder is a right of passage. Every New Englander has their favorite place to go for their favorite style of chowder. Thin or thick stock, potato chunks with skin on or off, bacon or no bacon, the list could go on. I always stop by my go to chowder spots when visiting family on Cape Cod. It’s a must have indulgence when I visit. Loaded with salty crackers and a cold beverage, I know I’m on vacation. I’m on the team for thick stock, peeled potato chunks and bacon, I’m always on board for bacon.
My kitchen helper and I make a lot of sweet treats but I wanted to introduce him to a savory dish with ingredients he hasn’t tried before. That’s what Make & Taste is all about, learning about new ingredients and appreciating where food comes from. On our regular trip to the local fish market, I picked up some quahogs, which is a larger clam that is usually used in chowder. He was interested in what the item was, but wasn’t a fan of the seafood smell that came along with the ingredient. This dish also allowed him to work on peeling potatoes and picking rosemary leaves off the stem. There are a lot of fine motor skill opportunities with this dish.
New England clam chowder isn’t complete without salty crackers, so we made our own rustic olive oil sea salt cracker to enjoy with our chowder. The simple and delicious recipe will be posted on Thursday, just in time to make this weekend!
Make and Taste 
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