Authentic New England Clam Chowder...

#18 clam nectar is another name for clam broth essential for making clam chowder

Interesting, thanks for the tip. We always went to Woodman's when I was growing up. I agree that steamers are delicious, but I can't help myself around fried clams. I think it's a matter of nostalgia as much as anything.

And thanks both of you re: nectar. I never heard that one before.

"Clam nectar" is new to me too.

#5 -- I mentioned garlic in the spaghetti alle vongole, not in the clam chowder. Despite nutrax's advice about claims of authenticity, which I think are well-taken up to a point, I think garlic in something called New England Clam Chowder is akin to tomatoes in "New England Clam Chowder". I agree with nutrax that it's crazy to think that there is one authentic recipe, and people who insist on that kind of thing (with chowder, chili, barbecue, crabcakes, dry martinis, etc.) are as boring as people who describe their dreams. But still, words have meanings. You've got a right to expect that something called "New England Clam Chowder" will not have tomatoes in it, and I don't think it should have garlic either. Garlic just isn't a traditional (i.e. pre 1890 or so) New England ingredient. For example, I'm looking at a 1934 Boston Cooking School Cook Book (Fannie Farmer) and she gives three sauces to serve with Boiled Spaghetti, one called Italian Sauce (pork chops, onion, tomatoes, salt, paprika), one called Napoli Sauce (bacon, onion, tomatoes, tomato paste (Query: she says "1/2 box" -- how could it have been in a box?) salt, pepper, allspice, mace, cayenne, bay leaf); and Tomato sauce (Tomatoes or tomato paste, onion, butter, flour, salt, pepper). So there's no garlic even in spaghetti sauce, which makes me suspect that there isn't a clove of garlic to be found in the whole book.

For what it's worth, and with no particular claim of authenticity, here is her Clam Chowder:

1 quart clams (meaning one quart shucked, in their liquor)
4 cups potatoes, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1 sliced onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tbs butter
4 cups scalded milk
8 common crackers (these are bigger than Diana's little oyster crackers -- about the size of a quahog actually, and capable of being split, but the same kind of thing)

Clean and pick over clams; drain; reserve liquor. Chop finely the hard part of the clams. Cut pork small and try out (cook the fat out of it); add onion, fry 5 minutes, and strain (!) into a stewpot. Parboil potatoes 5 minutes in boiling water to cover. Drain and put a layer in bottom of stewpan; add chopped clams, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge generously with flour (which she forgot to mention in the list of ingredients); add remaining potatoes, agian sprinkle with salt and pepper, drege with flour, and add 2 1/2 cups boiling water. cook 10 minutes, add milk, soft part of clams, and butter, boil 3 minutes and add crackers split and soaked in enough cold milk to moisten Heat clam liquor to boiling point, train, thicken with one tbs butter and flour cooked together. Add to chowder just before serving. The clam water has a tendency to cause the milk to separate, hence is added last.

She has Rhode Island Clam Chowder and Manhattan Clam Chowder also, but the one above is "Clam Chowder".

Do what real New Englanders do.....buy Snow's and doctor it up. Just dice some onions and saute in a ton of buttah, add some extra chopped clams (real ones) and you're good to go. You can add other stuff too, like more cream, paprika to spice it up, fresh ground peppah.....and ya hafta have Crown Pilot crackahs to top it off.