clam chowder (and pictures of Bea)

I've made a new goal to try a new recipe each week because I get so bored with our meals.

I figured that since we are now living in New England, I should at least try to make clam chowder or as is pronounced here: chowdah.

To make clam chowder you need clams, so I went to the fish market (yes, like they caught them that day) and told the man working there that I wanted to make chowder and he showed me already cooked crab meat for chowder. I shook my head at him and said, "actually, I would rather do all the work myself." I'm sure as soon as I left he called me crazy, but before he did he sent me on my way with 5lbs of clams or quahogs as they are called here.

First I let them soak in water, salt and corn starch to get rid of the sand in them.
Next, I steamed the clams until they opened.

While I was waiting for them to cool I started on the soup.

This is what the clam meat looks like out of the shells. Yup, I thought it was gross too.

I cut it up into very miniscule pieces and added it to the chowder.

On Friday night we went to Georges for fish and chips. It was a little chilly, but we braved it and sat on the deck anyway.

Hello Gorgeous.