Old New England Recipes

Living in New England all of my life, I collected and curated a lot of old fashioned home recipes
from New England. Back when there were Sunday dinners and a proper meal every night at 5:00 o'clock.
recipes will be from my head and some of the one's from my Mom and Aunt, plus I have a lot in my collection and love to look through old cook books from community churches. I need a place to put them all so will start here and will post a pic when I make this again.  Dedicated to Mimi.

Feel free to share, try out and let us know if you liked your creations.

Starting off the summer reminds me of the summer cookouts we would have and particularly on the 4th of July. The menu would be clam cakes, steamers, clam chowder, salad, macaroni salad, before pasta salad was popular (Aunt Margaret's), Potato Salad, german style and chicken/steak, whatever else anyone brought, then corn-on-cob, which we always ate last, before digesting and then homemade ice cream for dessert along with something like chocolate chip cookies and Senator McCarthy's chocolate cake (the best).  Some recipes may not have measurements as they were prepared by memory. 
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 Clam Chowder is made very simply.  You can use your steamers if you have leftover or use
chopped clams, minced clams, Morton's or Snow's, 4 or 5 cans.  This is the way I make clam chowder. 


To start, boil 5 pounds of potatoes.  If I remember correctly, new potatoes were best and held their shape without getting sticky and mushy.  Boil with skins on.  When done, pare the skins and chop potatoes into small chunks.  Reserve some of the potato water and put chopped potatoes back in pot to sit.  You can pour in some clam juice, only a little 1/4 bottle and all the juice from the clams. at this point to the potatoes.

Chop some salt pork, let render in the frying pan.  We don't use bacon at all. 
Remove salt pork, setting aside and add some white or yellow onion diced finely.  Saute the onions until clear and done, not burned.  Set aside. 
Into the potato pot, add the onions, salt pork and chopped fresh not sauted onions. 
Add milk and a chunk of butter.  Add salt and pepper and a little curry powder. 

Let simmer on stove top for awhile stirring occasionally  and let flavors blend..  When done, you can leave on low heat for a while.  Be careful though if it is a really hot day not to get the temp too hot or your chowder can curdle.

Before serving add heavy cream or thicken to your liking and bring to medium heat.  Ladle into bowls, serve with saltine crackers or oyster crackers, whatever your fancy.  You can also make ahead of time, let cool completely and refrigerate until the next day. 
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For comparison,

Here's one from the old American Woman's Cook book
and check out Faneuil Hall/Oyster House. 

This is from Union Oyster House taken from a 1978 cookbook Boston's Best Recipes, Fanueil Hall.

2 diced large onions
1 diced sticks of celery
1/2 lbs. finely diced salt pork
1 1/2 diced potato
2 qts diced minced clams
1 qts clam juice
1 lb flour
1 1/2 qts heavy cream or half & half warm
1/4 lb butter
pepper, tobasco, worcestershire seasoned to taste.

In a large heavy bottom soup kettle, place potatoes and clam juice.  Cook until done.  Add clams and bring to a boil, set aside. 
In a pan place salt pork.  Cook until golden brown.  Add onion and celery.  Saute until onion and celery are soft.  Add butter and continue cooking.  When vegetables are transparent add flour to make roux.  continue cooking until golden and flour is thoroughly cooked.

Take potato and clam mix.  Bring back to boil.  Add roux, stirring all the while.  Cook until thickened.  Add seasonings, then warm cream until your desired consistency.  Remove from heat.   Serve in warm bowls with a pat of butter on top.  Serve with oyster crackers. 

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