Question 1

True or false: New England clam chowder is traditionally made with tomatoes instead of cream.

Accepted Answer

False. New England clam chowder uses cream or milk, not tomatoes. Tomato-based clam chowder is Manhattan-style, a different regional version.

Question 2

True or false: Rhode Island clam chowder is clear-brothed, without cream or tomatoes.

Accepted Answer

True. Rhode Island-style clam chowder features a clear broth made from clam juice, no dairy or tomatoes, and often includes herbs like thyme.

Question 3

True or false: Manhattan clam chowder is actually older than New England clam chowder by several decades.

Accepted Answer

False. New England clam chowder predates Manhattan-style by at least 50 years. Manhattan chowder emerged in the late 1800s as a variation.

Question 4

True or false: Clam chowder was a popular breakfast dish among New England fishermen in the 1800s.

Accepted Answer

True. Fishermen often ate hearty clam chowder for breakfast, as it was filling, cheap, and used readily available ingredients like salt pork and clams.

Question 5

True or false: The thickener in authentic New England clam chowder is always flour, never cornstarch.

Accepted Answer

False. While traditional recipes use flour, many modern versions use cornstarch or even crushed crackers (like pilot biscuits) as thickeners.

Question 6

True or false: Quahogs, the clams used in traditional chowder, can live over 200 years.

Accepted Answer

True. Ocean quahogs (Arctica islandica) are among the longest-lived animals, with some individuals exceeding 500 years, though smaller ones are used in chowder.

Question 7

True or false: The oldest known clam chowder recipe was published in an 1839 cookbook by Lydia Maria Child.

Accepted Answer

True. Lydia Maria Child's 'The American Frugal Housewife' (1839) includes an early printed clam chowder recipe, predating many other versions.

Question 8

True or false: A 1939 Maine law made it illegal to put tomatoes in clam chowder.

Accepted Answer

True. Maine proposed a bill in 1939 banning tomatoes in clam chowder, though it didn't pass. The myth of it becoming law persists in food lore.

Clam Chowder Trivia Questions