There is something very special about having an older sibling. For me, I just wanted to be with her and do everything and anything she could think of. For her, it was probably not quite as much fun having this ‘brat’ tagging along all the time asking questions. As Loretta and I look back over those times now, the memories are precious and endless.One such memory was that of the ‘clam race’ we invented.
About 6 kilometers or so from our farm, the Willow Creek ran through the farmlands. Starting up at the Chain Lakes in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, it snaked it’s way through southern Alberta eventually emptying into the Old Man river. On occasion, during summer vacation, Loretta and I would either walk or ride our bike down to the creek. This was fun because we could roll up our pant legs and walk in the water when it was so hot. We come to realize that there were some ‘clam beds’ as we explored different areas of the creek. Just for fun one day we decided to line up some of the clams across the width of the creek. On our next trip we would check to see how far they had gone.
Life in the fifties had a such a gentle rhythm to it …. what a pleasure it was to be a part of it all.
Although fresh water clams are not good for eating it seemed like a good day to post this recipe (being kind of cool and rainy). Over the years that I spent working in the commercial food industry, Boston Clam Chowder was always a favorite with customers. I would like to share with you a quick, easy version using canned whole butter clams and nectar, making it cost effective as well as tasty.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20-25 minutes |
| Servings |
cups
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- 3 cups potatoes, cubed
- 1 cup green onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp chicken oxo, powdered
- 1 Tbsp salt, adjust to your taste (I prefer a vegetable salt like 'Herbamare')
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
- 236 ml clam nectar, as well as the nectar drained from the clams
- 568 ml (20 oz) whole butter clams, chopped slightly, if necessary
- 1/2 cup flour
- 6 cups 1/2 & 1/2 cream OR use 3 1/2 cups of 1% milk for a lighter version
Ingredients
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- In a large saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Combine flour with cream and blend until smooth. Add to vegetable mixture along with clams. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Serve.
- The addition of 3 strips of crisply fried and crumbled bacon makes the chowder even better.