Corn chowder

Corn chowder
Corn chowder topped with chives
TypeChowder
Place of originUnited States
Main ingredientsCorn, milk or cream, onion, celery, sometimes potatoes or squash

Corn chowder is a chowder soup prepared using corn as a primary ingredient. Basic corn chowder is commonly made of corn, onion, celery, milk or cream, and butter. Additional ingredients sometimes used include potatoes or squash, salt pork, fish, seafood and chicken. In the United States, recipes for corn chowder date to at least as early as 1884. Corn chowder is mass-produced as a canned food in the U.S.

Overview

Corn chowder is a thick cream-based soup or chowder. It is similar to New England clam chowder, with corn used in place of or substituted for clams in the recipe.[1][2] Basic ingredients in corn chowder include corn, chopped onion and celery, milk or cream, butter, flour, salt and pepper.[3][4][5] Fresh shucked corn with the corn kernels sliced off, canned corn and frozen corn can be used to prepare the dish.[6][7][8] In addition to corn, it often contains potatoes,[3] and additional vegetables can also be used. The potatoes can aid in thickening the soup.[6] Chicken stock can also be used as an ingredient, as can salt pork, bacon, crackers and corn starch, the latter as a thickener.[2][4][6][9][10]

Corn cobs can be used as an ingredient when preparing fresh stock for the dish, and cooking them down can also serve to thicken the soup.[6][11] Various fish and seafoods are sometimes used as ingredients in corn chowder, and chicken is also sometimes used.[7][8][12][13] Some people serve basic corn chowder as a vegetarian alternative to clam chowder.[1][14][15]

History

Corn chowder with potatoes, topped with pepper

In the United States, recipes for corn chowder date back to at least 1884, at which time a corn chowder recipe was published in the Boston Cook Book, authored by Mary Lincoln of the Boston Cooking School.[6] Another corn chowder recipe was published in the Boston Cooking-School Cook Book in 1896, which was authored by Fannie Farmer, Lincoln's successor at the Boston Cooking School.[6] Farmer's recipe utilized canned corn, a product that emerged around the mid-1800s in the U.S.[6] The 1896 recipe also included salt pork, potatoes and crackers as ingredients.[16] After Lincoln's published recipe in 1884, myriad recipes for corn chowder began circulating in various cookbooks in the United States, with many types of recipe variations.[6] For example, some recipes utilized cream, milk or condensed milk, and thickeners included the use of flour or eggs.[6]

Around the early 1900s, the Shakers were well known for their chowder soups and general culinary skills.[6] A simple Shakers recipe from this time period for corn chowder used just three ingredients: cream, butter and fresh corn.[6]

Mass production

A bowl of heated "Signature Cafe" canned corn chowder, a mass-produced store brand marketed by Safeway Inc. The dish here is topped with additional scallions, pepper and a sprig of parsley.

Corn chowder is a mass-produced canned food product in the United States.[17] The Campbell Soup Company manufactures and markets prepared canned soup products named "Sweet Potato Corn Chowder", "Campbell's Healthy Request Chunky Corn Chowder", "Campbell's Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder" and "Clam and Corn Chowder with Bacon."[17][18][19][20]

Progresso, a General Mills brand, manufactures and markets corn chowders, such as "Rich & Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder" and "Light Chicken Corn Chowder."[21]

Costco markets a corn chowder under its Kirkland Signature brand name, named "Kirkland Roasted Corn Chowder."[22]

Safeway Inc. markets a corn chowder under their "Signature Cafe" store brand.[23]

  • Corn chowders
  • Vegan corn chowder with cornbread
    Vegan corn chowder with cornbread
  • Cups of corn chowder with bacon, potato, olive oil and chives
    Cups of corn chowder with bacon, potato, olive oil and chives
  • Mexican chicken corn chowder
    Mexican chicken corn chowder
  • Corn chowder with shrimp
    Corn chowder with shrimp
  • Corn chowder with crab meat
    Corn chowder with crab meat
  • Corn chowder with scallops
    Corn chowder with scallops
  • Close-up view of a corn chowder
    Close-up view of a corn chowder

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Raichlen, S. (2014). Man Made Meals: The Essential Cookbook for Guys. Workman Publishing Company. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7611-8133-0.
  2. ^ a b Lehman, E.D.; Nawrocki, A. (2012). A History of Connecticut Food: A Proud Tradition of Puddings, Clambakes & Steamed Cheeseburgers. American Palate. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-62584-079-0.
  3. ^ a b Rombauer, I.S.; Becker, M.R.; Becker, E.; Guarnaschelli, M. (1997). JOC All New Rev. – 1997. Scribner. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-684-81870-2.
  4. ^ a b Hooker, R.J. (1978). The Book of Chowder. Harvard Common Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-916782-10-8.
  5. ^ D'Amico, J.; Drummond, K.E. (2003). The U.S. History Cookbook: Delicious Recipes and Exciting Events from the Past. Wiley. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-471-46336-8.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k White, J. (2000). 50 Chowders. Scribner. pp. 175–176. ISBN 978-0-684-85034-4.
  7. ^ a b Miller, C.; Williams, C.; Williams-Sonoma (2005). Williams-Sonoma Collection: Seafood. Williams Sonoma Collection. Free Press. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-7432-6188-3.
  8. ^ a b Greene, B. (2007). The Best Life Diet. Simon & Schuster. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-4165-4069-4.
  9. ^ Berolzheimer, R. (1988). Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook. Perigee Series. Perigee Books. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-399-51388-6.
  10. ^ Harding, F.K. (1921). Twentieth Century Cook Book, an Up-to-date and Skillful Preparation on the Art of Cooking and Modern Candy Making Simplified: Also the Process of Drying Fruits and Vegetables, and Butchering Time Recipes. Haldeman-Julius Company. p. 13. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  11. ^ Gormus, Mark (March 8, 2017). "Chowders make a warming and filling addition to the winter table". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  12. ^ Better Homes and Gardens Eat Well, Lose Weight. Better Homes and Gardens Cooking Series. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. 2014. p. 344. ISBN 978-1-118-54194-4.
  13. ^ Burkhalter, B.B. (2012). Raised on Old-Time Country Cooking: A Companion to the Trilogy. AuthorHouse. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4772-8720-0.
  14. ^ "Summer Corn Chowder". Chowhound. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  15. ^ Oliver, S. (2012). Maine Home Cooking: 175 Recipes from Down East Kitchens. Down East Books. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-60893-197-2.
  16. ^ Smith, M.D. (2013). History of American Cooking. ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-313-38711-1.
  17. ^ a b "The Secret Life of Brands: What Image-Recognition Technology Reveals". Advertising Week. June 16, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  18. ^ Wohl, Jessica (January 6, 2017). "See the Spot: Campbell's Well Yes". Advertising Age. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  19. ^ Kelley, Ann J. (February 5, 2009). "Taste Test: Not many requests for Campbell's Corn Chowder". The Florida Times Union. Archived from the original on 2017-03-21. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  20. ^ O'Brien, Kyle (August 23, 2016). "Campbell's Chunky soup launches "Everyman All-Star League" for fun and prizes". The Drum. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  21. ^ "Calories in Progresso Rich & Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder Flavored With Bacon – Calories and Nutrition Facts". MyFitnessPal.com. January 20, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  22. ^ Mohan, Anne Marie (November 19, 2013). "Not your mother's private label". Packaging World. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  23. ^ "Calories in Safeway Signature Cafe Chicken And Sweet Corn Chowder – Calories and Nutrition Facts". MyFitnessPal.com. January 20, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2017.