I woke up so happy the other morning. I was dreaming about making clam chowder with my mom.
My mom, who passed away from Covid on January first this year, believed strongly in two main foods to make anyone feel better. Clam chowder and wild blackberry pie. I could count on both each time I’d visit her in Olympia, Washington after moving to California.
I have collected a series of cookbooks (photo above) that my great-grandmother published in the 1890s and early 1900s. My great-grandfather was a newspaper man and owned a printing press. To earn extra money, great-grandmother Nellie published and sold her cookbooks across the country as a fundraiser for church auxiliary groups.
Just think, she had to typeset these beauties by hand!
I decided to check out my great grandmother’s cookbook to see if my mom followed the recipe for clam chowder. There are a few differences. For example, we use bacon today instead of pork. We don’t use fresh clams. And what the heck are common crackers?
I love this quote from the Soup cookbook:
“Soup preceding sumptuous meal,
Preparing well the way
For happiness and joyous weal,
To brighten every day.”
This is how I make clam chowder — the way Mom taught me:
Dice potatoes and boil in water. Chop onions and bacon into small pieces.
Brown onions and bacon, drain the grease.
Add flour to onions and bacon and brown. Add milk or heavy cream and allow to thicken. Add potatoes with boiled water. Add a can of clams with liquid.
Sometimes she would throw in a can of creamed corn.
I’ve written about comfort foods HERE and what my daughter finds as her comfort food. It surprised me.
What’s your favorite comfort food? Is it from a family recipe?
Clam chowder is so good. How nice to wake from a dream that brought you warm memories of your mom.
Soft boiled eggs with toast is one of my comfort foods. My mom would always make it for me when I was sick.
Chicken curry is another. A family favorite from my childhood.
Dinty Moore Beef Stew is another one which I had a craving for the other day. We went camping alot when I was a child and my mom always made a lot of beef stew while camping. It brings back those memories of camping, which were always fun. 🙂
I love camping memories as a child too. Hamburger Helper had just come out and my mom would cook that because it was so easy. I love soft boiled eggs and toast, too. How sweet your mom would make that for you when you weren’t feeling well.
That’s great that you had camping memories too as a child. I remember sitting around the campfire, roasting Smores and singing. 🙂
Yes, Hamburger Helper was another easy meal to prepare when camping.
It’s the little things, like making me soft boiled eggs when I was sick , that speak of a mother’s love. <3
Definitely!
I often find recipes on the internet and follow the one that looks good.
That’s where I find new recipes, too.
Although I do have a few cookbooks, but it’s easier to just browse for a recipe. You’re lucky that you have recipes written by your grandmother
Buttered egg noodles, or cheeseburger and fries. Neither is a recipe…
Yum. I like both of those, especially buttered egg noodles.
💕💕
I’m chuckling a bit EA, reading that your daughter chose take out over something from home as a favorite comfort food! My memories take me back to a few things my mom used to make, although I don’t make them myself as they stray really far from healthy or what I eat now as an adult. She made an amazing meatloaf, which I loved to slice cold and make sandwiches out of with mayo, and her spaghetti sauce was fantastic- thick and rich with meat and tons of garlic. I loved her biscuits also and they were just the simple ones from the Bisquick box!
My daughter made me laugh. The Mexican restaurant was only a few blocks from our house, so maybe she considered it an extension of home! You reminded me of those delicious meatloaf sandwiches made from leftover meatloaf. I liked them better than the main meal.
Would you believe I found a copy of your great grandmother’s cookbook on ABEBOOKS selling for $75.
I have bought them from ABEBOOKS for less. That seems kind of pricey! My goal is to someday reprint them. I finally have the entire series. I’ve queried the idea to a few publishers, but so far no takers. It’s a self publishing project most likely.
I would be interested in a copy and have you looked into LULU book printing? They do print on demand and help get you set up on Amazon so people can find the books
I nave never heard of LULU book printing. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll look into it. It’s been a project I’ve been thinking about for years. I recently talked to a couple graphic designers that I used to work with, but one is retired and the other is too busy. So your idea is much appreciated.
Ive used them for genealogical books Ive written. It doesnt cost you a penny, just upload a PDF or Word doc, choose the particulars (digital, soft cover, etc) they tell you how much per book, you set the price and do the things to get an ISBN and set it up on Amazon. Selling at cost + and the buyer fronts all the funding for your book project
That’s fabulous! Thank you so much for the info. If I have more questions, I’ll ask you.
anytime
Thank you so much! I was stuck on what or how to progress.
Picking all the options can be tedious (dimensions of the pook, binding, cover etc). I would use them or some other print on demand book printer. No ones wants to lay out $$ for inventory that may gather dust.
Absolutely. My son works for a company like Kickstarter that helps fundraise and get projects off the ground. But he said I need an email list of a minimum of 5,000 interested people — and I’m not there yet!
You can set up a book on LULU with zero interested people. Well you have 1 anyway
😀
That is so special that you have your great-grandmother’s cookbooks and can compare recipes. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I think soups of all kind are comfort foods especially during flu season!
I’m surprised when I find recipes in my great-grandmother’s cookbooks that I make, having them passed down from my mother. I love making soups in the winter.
I love soups at this time of year. Thanks for sharing recipe, it does sound easy.
Easy and delicious!
I love it when you share snippets from the cookbooks…you have such a talented family. And soup? Yes, yes, yes! I just can’t eat clams…but your soup recipe looks like it could be a great potato/corn chowder even without the clams. Thanks, Elizabeth! 🥰
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoy my family cookbook snippets. Yes, the chowder works well without clams. My son who is allergic to seafood would request clam chowder without clams 😊
That’s me! Thanks, Elizabeth…sounds like a yummy recipe for this weekend. xo! 🥰
😊
My husband makes the best lasagna. It’s about a once-a-year indulgence.
Yum! My husband’s uncle is from Sicily and everything he cooks is the best.
My husband’s Nonna was from Napoli. Not that he necessarily learned from her, but it didn’t hurt.
My daughter visited Napoli when she studied abroad. She said she had the best food of her life there.
Nice post
😊
Love this, Elizabeth! First, seeing the cookbooks you told us about when you podcasted with us is wonderful. Second, the recipe you provided. And third, because I know you’ll love that I went with my kids to Duke’s Chowder House last night! <3
Yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookbook snippet. I’m also thankful to learn from blogger Danny Watts about self publishing them. 😊
I like chicken potpie. Or creamed chicken on biscuits. Or cream of chicken soup. [Are you seeing a trend here?]
Creamy chicken anything sounds good. I think I’ll make chicken and dumplings this week.
That looks fabulous. My parents made their own chowder too and it’s one of my favorite dishes always surrounded by cherished memories of my mom and dad cooking together ~ which was hilarious. Now I’m in the mood for some chowder! Hugs, C
I’m glad you joyed the recipe and have chowder memories too!
What an absolute treasure to have those cookbooks. I love soup season!
Thank you! I made chicken and dumplings yesterday because our weather finally got cold!