Best Canned Clam Chowder

I was born in New England. I currently live in New England, and I love New England style clam chowder. With these credentials, I feel I have the authority to claim that I have found, what I believe to be - the best canned clam chowder in existence. Olde Cape Cod has created an amazing product that reverberates childhood memories of my first taste of clam chowder inside a tiny cylinder of deliciousness. Simple to prepare and can easily be adjusted to your desired peppery/salty/creaminess, I truly believe the base that they provide is a clam and potato heaven that can only be exalted further with the addition of cream and butter.

Let me explain.

I once read/heard/thought to myself, if the products in grocery stores are commercial and common, it will have a tendency to be located on the center, eye-level shelves . Right? Just buy the usual stuff, dead center. With a stroke of stolen genius I looked to my feet, rather - the foot level shelf, and I saw this hunter green can emblazoned with a white seal bearing a delicious clam shell, onion, potato and celery stalk portrait. How delightful, and 98% fat free! It was no enormous commercial company, that's for sure. Well I took the long journey down to the bottom shelf (and yes, this required bending over) and I grasped that gem - not knowing at the time I was holding a preciously delicious time machine in a can. I hmph'd a little as I looked at the price - which I will admit, seemed somewhat expensive for a can of potatoes and clams. Let me assure you though, the experience I had a few days later...myself, the clam chowder, and my kitchen table; it was worth it. I have another can in the cupboard I am harvesting. I think I'm actually just secretly challenging myself to see how long I can hold out from cracking out the can opener and going to town.

Okay, okay...the soup. Yes. Components include clams, potatoes, celery, onions, and magic...a truly cohesive and homemade mixture that is deserving of praise, deserving of a bread bowl throne, and deserving of being completely consumed without any remnants left in the pot! Don't feel obligated to finish, though. Just bring your leftovers to me.

As per the instructions on the side of the can, empty the contents into a sauce pan and add milk or water, then heat through. I will tell you how I prepared mine, and brought it to it's state of holy clam divinity. I used 1/2 cup of cream (yes, heavy cream) and 1/2 of milk. Obviously I didn't have half and half. If you do, then dump a cup of that in. Of course you can just add water or milk if you don't want to add more fat content. Does this make sense so far? Wonderful! It only gets tastier. I then added one tablespoon of delicious unsalted butter (again, personal preference, if you want more salt components in your soup add salted butter) and heated it through. I removed it from the stove, dazzled the now creamy, velvety texture with some pepper - and garnished with crumbled up crackers. Use whatever you have, whatever you like with your soup. Oyster crackers, parsley, more pepper, salt, more butter, peanut butter (kidding, I think...) and enjoy. The coveted can I have tucked away will be honored by a warm bread bowl for sure next time, but that's just my preference. Enjoy your New England clam chowder dining experience and make sure to bring some napkins; you might be rendered out of control momentarily as you consume this truly superb soup.