Boston and Clam Chowder

Oh yes, I love Boston. It has been many years since I have visited this beautiful city last and I am lucky enough that we are paying a visit to Boston while on the way to Bermuda. So there is of course no way that I will stay onboard and do nothing, I have to get out for at least a couple of hours.

I think it is the history about this town that fascinates me, the mix and match of old and new buildings, just the whole atmosphere this town has. I read the book 1776 about the liberation of the United States from England, a great book, so I feel the history here!

We went out to go shopping a little bit and of course to do the touristy thing of going to Quincy Market. Quincy Market is sort of the absolute center of town, it is easy to explore the inner city from there and there are plenty of good restaurants. We actually just ate at Quincy Market in the Food Hall. There is such an abundance of food, the variety, just everything. It is actually difficult to make a choice. We found this absolutely stunning sweet shops and of course went a bit wild in buying these humongous Brownies and Coconut cookies. Then we needed one of these chocolate chip cookie sandwiches……so sweet one can actually hardly eat them.

For the savory we went for a pizza, even so the sausages looked delicious too, the “Quattro Formagi” with 4 types of cheese on it. The bottom was so nice and crisp, perfectly baked, the topping of course beautifully juicy, it was just fantastic. Some of our friends went for Indian food, but being from the country themselves, they were not overly impressed. We loved so every bite from the Pizza.

Now of course the big question, will I give you a recipe of a pizza? No, of course not; that recipe we can do another time. Being in Boston, I have to give you a recipe of a typical Boston Clam Chowder. The recipe is enough for 10 friends. I feel especially with a hearty soup one can always make a little more and warm it up later if required.

450 g (1 lb) Clam meat
1 l (1 quart) Clam juice
1 l (1 quart) Cream
450 g (1 lb) Potatoes
250 g (0.5 lb) Leeks
250 g (0.5 lb) Onions
125 g (4 oz) Celery
300 ml (10 oz) White Wine
60 ml (2 oz) Pernod
Chives

Cut all vegetables in small dices.
Heat the butter till foaming, but not brown
Add the vegetables and sweat till onions are slightly translucent
Add the diced potatoes, then clam juice, white wine and Pernod
Simmer till the potatoes are nice and soft, the soup will thicken.
Add the clam meat, simmer for another 5 minutes, thicken if needed with a little corn starch or rice flour