The Soup That Almost Divorced Us: Clam Chowder Drama

Movement Notes

Let me tell you about the time I decided to make clam chowder from scratch and nearly ruined my marriage in the process. It all started on a rainy Saturday when I confidently announced, "How hard can it be? It's just soup!" Famous last words, my friends. Famous last words.

First of all, have you ever tried to clean clams? These little ocean gremlins come covered in sand, and no matter how many times you rinse them, there's always more. I went through roughly seventeen bowls of water, scrubbing each clam like I was performing microsurgery. My husband walked in, saw me hunched over the sink muttering at shellfish, and slowly backed out of the kitchen like you would when encountering a wild animal.

Then came the shucking. Oh, the shucking. I watched approximately nine YouTube tutorials and still managed to look like I'd lost a fight with a can opener. Clam juice was everywhere — on my face, in my hair, somehow behind my ears. I'm still not sure how that happened. The cat watched from the doorway with what I can only describe as pity.

But here's where it gets good. The actual cooking part? Surprisingly magical. Frying the bacon until it sizzled, tossing in the onions until they went soft and golden, then creating this gorgeous roux that smelled like a seaside bistro. When I added the potatoes and cream, the whole kitchen filled with this rich, velvety aroma that made my husband peek back in. "Is that... good?" he asked cautiously, as if I hadn't just been wrestling shellfish like a deranged mermaid thirty minutes prior.

And you know what? It was good. Unbelievably, stupidly good. Thick enough to stand a spoon in, briny and bacony and dotted with tender potato chunks. We sat there eating bowl after bowl, mopping up the last drops with crusty bread, and I forgave every single clam for the emotional damage they'd caused. Would I make it again? Absolutely. Will I complain the entire time? Also absolutely. Some relationships are just complicated like that.

Score Trail

Source Reference

Original score log: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/clam-chowder