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: The first known printed recipe for clam chowder appeared in the Boston Evening Post in 1751.

Accepted Answer

True. A recipe for clam chowder was published in the Boston Evening Post on September 23, 1751, marking the earliest known printed version of this classic New England dish.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

False. Authentic New England clam chowder often uses crushed pilot biscuits (hardtack) as a thickener, so flour isn't always used. Cornstarch also appears in some modern versions.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

False. The earliest known printed clam chowder recipe appears in the 1832 cookbook 'The Cook's Own Book,' not in Child's 1839 work.

Question 7

True or false: Ocean quahogs, clams used in some chowders, 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 8

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

Accepted Answer

False. In 1939, a Maine bill proposed banning tomatoes in clam chowder, but it was never passed into law. The claim that it became illegal is a popular myth.

Clam Chowder Trivia Questions