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National Clam Chowder Day

Food · February 25

A day for clam chowder, the thick, comforting soup of clams, potatoes and broth, in its creamy New England style and its tomato-based Manhattan cousin.

National Clam Chowder Day falls on Thursday, February 25, 2027. That is 121 days away.

Clam chowder is a soup built from clams, potatoes, onions and broth, often with salt pork or bacon for depth. It is the kind of dish that tastes like a cold harbor town even when you eat it far from the coast.

The best known version is New England clam chowder, made with milk or cream and thickened until it clings to the spoon. Manhattan clam chowder takes another road, swapping the dairy for tomatoes and adding more vegetables, so it comes out red and brothy. People who love one style can be firm about it. The clams themselves don't seem to mind either way.

Marking the day is mostly a matter of finding a good bowl. Seafood shacks and diners often keep chowder on the menu, and some places serve it in a hollowed sourdough bread bowl, so the container becomes the last course. Oyster crackers floated on top are a common companion.

Making it at home is less fussy than it sounds. Canned or fresh clams both work, and the clam juice does a lot of the flavor work. Potatoes give the soup its body, and a slow simmer lets everything soften without turning the clams tough.

Chowder also tends to taste better the next day, once the flavors have had a night to settle together in the fridge.

Ways to celebrate

• Try a bowl of chowder from a local diner or seafood spot.
• Cook a simple pot of clam chowder at home.
• Taste New England and Manhattan styles side by side.
• Look for a place that serves chowder in a bread bowl.
• Share your favorite chowder recipe with a friend.

Dates

All national days on February 25

Also on February 25

• National Chili Day
• National Chocolate Covered Nut Day

Categories: Food days