The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-03-21
GOOD CLAM CHOWDER
IT is HARD TO GET, SAYS A METRO
PoLiTAN EPlcuRE.

An Old New Yorker Compares the
f. Modern Dish With the Delicious
Palate Ticker That Was Made by
Ancient Experts.
The young New Yorker was telling Of
the toothsome dishes Of which he was
fond and among them mentioned clam
chowder.
The old New Yorker, who is a CASTRO
nomic epicure, regarded his young friend
with plying glance and said:
Il suppose you think you have eaten
clam chowder? Have, Ell? Wheref
HIN! l thought you would say some
thing like that Well, let me tell you,"
impressively, that you don't know what
clam chowder is. l don't say that to
hurt your, feelings, as it is your misfor-
tune and not your fault that you are
lacking in a proper knowledge Of the
subject
You may think 1t trivial matter for
an old man like me to be bothering about
clam chowder. That's because you don't
realize the Importance Of the question OF
good clam cbowder. Think of 1t! Here
we are in the foremost city Of the coun-
try think it the greatest city in the
world in some respects-and neither you
nor any other man in 1t, young or old
can name three places in it where one
can get plate of real clam chowder.
II suppose the fate Of the nation
doesn't hang upon clam chowder, Its use
and abuse, because it is only We who are
so blessed as to be along the coast who
have at hand the fresh material from
which the chowder Is made.
81 would make no complaint were 1t
not for the fact that there is nothing bet
ter than n plate of clam chowder when It
II Ia properly made, and there Is nothing
worse when it is not made right. More
than that, any old cook thinks he or she
can make clam chowder, whereas they
haven't the slightest notion as to what
clam chowder ought to be.
Don't smile, my gay young friend, Tor
here is where I've got you. I'm not
yearning for the kind Of chowder that
mother used to make, for mother, God
bless her. never knew any more about
clam chowder than the rest of them.
For that matter-and l have no de-
sire to traduce the fair sex or get into
trouble with them-no woman can make
clam chowder. Why? How should !
know7 Don't ask me to explain the in
scrutable ways of Providence. | can only
state the fact as have found it.
mo, sir; the right kind of clam chow
der can only be made by man. and ev-
cry good chowder cook that ! have ever
seen has been round shoulderrd. Oh. l
thought you'd laugh! We old folks who
have brought up children know perfect
" well that they laugh and cry without
any apparent reason.
"a bit odd7 or course It Is. But l
hive seen square shouldcred men and
round shouldcred men in chowder max
ing contests-not here, but down east
and the round shouldercd men always
won. | would bet on them every time.
snow. In every restaurant and hotel in
town and in the places where they make
n speciality of sea food you will find clam
chowder on the bill of fare. And when
you order it what do you get? Br-r-r-r!
1t makes me shudder to think of II. In
most places you get a plateful Of hot,
greasy water with waterlogged toma-
to in 1t and couple Of derelict clans.
barely discernibe. In others you are
served with q fair quality Of vegetable
soup containing few CLAIMS. Again, the
waiter will serve you with something
that has clans in 1t, but which, for the
! life of you, cannot be described prop
erly.
an all of these merry muddles of which
| speak there is always great quantity
Of sage and thyme and what not Whyf
| What better flavor is there than that OF
| the clam? ] don't wonder that clam
| chowder Is not more popular than it Is,
and yet, after all. when you come to