“In this corner of the U.S., clam chowder is a religion,” states Kathy Sidell, proprietor of Saltie Girl restaurant located in Boston’s Back Bay. The top-notch clam chowders of Boston are unique expressions of coastal Massachusetts. Sidell continues, “It's a thick, creamy, clam-infused, briny, smoky comfort food perfect for a cold Northeast winter day.” Sidell is referring to the classic New England aka Boston clam chowder that is essentially a rich, hearty concoction featuring heavy cream unlike its clear Rhode Island cousin or the tomato-tinted Manhattan variety. The recognition is so intense that Legal Sea Foods, a renowned eatery chain, has featured its version of the famous dish at every U.S. presidential inauguration since 1981. What's known as Boston or New England clam chowder is actually a white soup made from clam juice broth thickened with milk or cream and thickened further with flour or potato starch. The delicacy treasures generous chunks of clams, potatoes, often accompanied by onions, celery, and bacon or salt pork. In keeping with tradition, dry, crispy oyster crackers are employed for enhancing the thickness or simply sprinkled on top. They usually arrive in a small plastic bag, but some establishments have created their own alternatives. Case in point, fancy saltines at Row 34’s trendy outlets in Boston's Seaport; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Burlington, Vermont; and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The concurrence of Indigenous tribes such as the Narragansett and Europeans marked the advent of this fusion masterpiece. The local clam and corn ingredients were married with dairy and pork introductions from across the Atlantic to create the iconic New England clam chowder we relish today. Sidell's Saltie Girl aims to deliver a chowder so packed and creamy, one can stand a spoon in it. The heavy cream and fresh clam stock simmer till they achieve an almost solid consistency without becoming lumpy. Further additions of chopped clams, shallots, celery, and fingerling potatoes reinforce the flavor. Sidell’s dish is earthy and hearty, despite the restaurant’s glamorous appearance. Tiffani Faison, local restautrateur, praises Saltie Girl’s soup and makes her own adaptations at Dive Bar. She uses whitefish and house-smoked bacon to add depth, paired with a crisp glass of wine for contrast. Despite the soup’s thickness, Faison insists that it can be relished all year round. At Summer Shack, a creation of late Jasper White, 'New England's Seafood Godfather', the New England clam chowder is a rich blend of fresh clams, salt pork, butter, onions, celery, Yukon gold potatoes, fresh thyme, and heavy cream that strikes an impeccable balance of rich creaminess and the sweetness of clams. Robert Sisca of The Banks, treads the unconventional path but holds on to the archetypal sentiment of the New England Clam Chowder. He's invented the ‘Chowda Flatbread’ with a base of crème fraiche, house-cured and -smoked bacon, chopped clams, fingerling potatoes, and cheese, finished off with oyster crackers and chives.