Customer Reviews

50 Chowders: One Pot Meals - Clam, Corn, & Beyond

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first have to let you know my own bias(es): I read cookbooks like some folks read novels, but when it "comes down to it" what I truly appreciate is a book with plenty of recipes that sound delicious, and that I can actually prepare at home.

OK - here's another bias - I love chowders. I love eating them, cooking, smelling them, etc.

This is a good scholarly book on chowders. It begins with a history of chowders in Northeastern America from 1700 up to 2000 when the author tells us "50 CHOWDERS by Jasper White, the first hardcover book of contemporary chowders, is published".

The author doesn't hide his biases: Jasper White is a proud Northeastern American and believes chowders have been and remain an integral part of the Northeast American (this includes Canada) diet and culture since the 1700's.

This is a book to please lots of people because the recipes sound yummy and do-able for the most part. Most focus on clams, shellfish and fish in general. There are some veg. chowders as well - leaning heavily toward corn. There are also recipes for accompaniments - breads, fritters - not many,though - also leaning mostly toward corn. (OK by me, I love corn).

There's a lot of information here, which I appreciate. This isn't an open a can of this and that, instead it's very thoughtfully put together. As with most worthwhile cookbooks, Jasper White focuses on the importance of the very best ingredients to achieve the very best product(s). You can learn about various types of clams, shellfish, fish, broths, with some interesting history thrown in...

I like it.

This is a book for those who love to understand what it is that makes the food they prepare so delicious. Jasper White writes with infectious enthusiasm about the history of chowder, and explains the roles of the component ingredients in each exceptional recipe. I just prepared his Layered Fish Chowder, and cannot describe the satisfaction I found in the rich aromas of cooking and the incredibly balanced flavor and texture of the dish. My family was delighted with the meal, and I can't wait to prepare more of these elegant but simple recipes. I cannot praise this book highly enough, not only for the recipes, but for informative, well-written text. I am a collector of cookbooks, particularly on the subject of one-pot meals, and this is by far the best I have found to date. Those readers familiar with John Thorne will recognize White's Thorne-like connection to and love for his work.

Growing up in the Northeast and living in Maine for the last 17 years, I have a distinct love of 'chowdah'. There is nothing better than a good fish or clam chowder. That being said...I'll leave the quahogs (they're like chewing on rubber..littleneck clams are better)to the Massachusetts and Rhode Island folks and as for that 'red stuff', NOT on my table!

Jasper White has written a wonderful tribute to that delicacy we know as chowder. You don't have to live on the ocean to make it and you certainly don't have to use seafood either. When I lived in Vermont, I used to make a killer Corn Chowder that was rich and tasty. I even got my mother to try it (She had a particular aversion to what she called 'white sauce' soup). It became a traditional Christmas Eve fare and Mom was the cook.

That aside, this book is replete with absolutely fabulous recipes! Imagine a Mushroom and Leek Chowder or Farmer's Chicken Chowder. Mr. White gives you the basics of building a chowder. The recipes are great but you are free to experiment with ingredients and spices that match your culinary tastes. Chowder is decidely a comfort food and this is the definitive book on this traditional American staple.

I'm new to chowders and cooking in general but I found this book extremely useful and easy. The corn chowder was my absolute favorite. It was incredible. I made it for a group of people and everyone thinks I'm such a great cook now. They don't realize how it easy it was! Although I usually would agree that a cook book needs more photos, the recipes are so easy and explained beautifully that you don't need them. A great book for those who love to cook but may be just starting out.

Well the big difference is the milk ingredient. Well White does a superb job explaining the differences in the beginning & giving some history to how they arose. A chowder doesn't mean seafood & White gives many that are not seafood based. Chowder though does mean milk & cream & tho White admits you can change the chowder to non-milk based it's now a stew & loses some of its bite. Instead use Lact-aid (lactose free) milk & for cream make a (blache roux) white sauce for substitution & you will be richly rewarded.

The chowders are superb. Tasty. But getting the seafood ingredients (quahogs) might be tricky though White does give substitutes for those not in either the North Atlantic or Pac West. There are non-seafood chowders though (about 20) for those who can't do seafood for whatever reason.

But all in all these were chowders from my childhood in New England eaten during great Nor-Easters and winter Saturdays with baked beans (see Fannie Farmer for a really authentic recipe). White gives really good chowder though...and yes it brings back those Aunt Freda memories :-) Cook's Illustrated refers to White in their chowder recipe found in American Classics if you only want an idea of chowders and would prefer a fuller book.

You are reading this review because you are interested in making chowder and be advised that this is THE book on chowder. Everything you need to know and so much more is contained with the pages. Pick it up, read it and follow Jasper White's advise and you will be making great chowders in no time at all. The Lobster and Corn Chowder recipe is worth the price of the book.

Enjoy!

Jasper White's book,-50 Chowders- has concise, easy to follow instructions with delicious tasting chowders. He not only tells you what to do in his recipes but he also tells you why you are doing it. This is rare to find in a modern cookbook. It's something you normally only find in an instructional video. It gives you the understanding of where you are heading instead of blindly following instructions. The chowders are wonderful and satisfying but the best thing about the book to me is his incredible love and reverence for the history of the recipes and the Shakers who handed them down. Reading his descriptions of the Shaker's respect for their food and cooking actually brought tears to my eyes. Not to play down the results of his chowder recipes...every member of my family loves them, even my 5 year old! They're the best I've ever tasted. Bravo Jasper! Your love produced a masterpiece!

This is a great collection of recipes for this time of year. I frankly love one-dish meals of any type, particularly soups and stews. White provided me with great alternatives to my basic autumn fare--beef and lamb stews, lentil and vegetable soups. If you think "chowder" only applies to clams and corn, this book will open your eyes.

My favorite recipe is the one for Pacific Northwest Salmon Chowder. As West Coast residents, my husband and I are big fans of salmon, but I'd never dreamed of putting it in soup! The combination of pearl onions, potatoes, salmon and peas in this dish is a true winner.

Many traditional and unusual clam chowder recipes are included, as well as quite a few for vegetarians. My favorite section of the book, however, is Chapter 2: Chowder Ingredients. It gives a thorough explanation of the common chowder components, and I was surprised to learn so much about various fish and different types of potatoes. As Jasper White explains, the only ingredient found in every chowder in this book is onions--what a surprise!

This book would make a great gift for the cook on your holiday gift list. (My only reason for not giving it a "5" is that I like more photographs in my cookbooks--there are only eight.)