Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Authentic chowder is characterized by generous chunks of local seasonal ingredients served in a moderate amount of broth. Another basic characteristic of chowder is its ease of preparation -- even chowders that take more than an hour to make don't require anything more than keeping an eye on the pot. A big pot of chowder is perfect for a large gathering of family and friends, and because chowder truly is best when made ahead, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your company.

50 Chowders is the first hardcover cookbook to explore the many interpretations of chowders. On the familiar side, you will find a recipe for Corn Chowder explained with the kind of detail that ensures a sweet, mellow broth, succulent chunks of potatoes, and fresh golden kernels of corn. On the exotic side, there is a recipe for San Francisco Crab "Meatball" Chowder, an exciting dish whose deep and robust flavors make it really quite special. Here are a few of the more than fifty other chowders you will find: Shaker Fresh Cranberry Bean Chowder, Nova Scotia Lobster Chowder, Nantucket Veal Chowder, Pacific Northwest Salmon Chowder, and nine different clam chowders.

Among this book's unique features: A chapter of chowder companion dishes, from Parker House Rolls to Buttermilk Biscuits; more than fifty illustrations of important cooking techniques and chowder ingredients; cook's notes for each recipe, giving possible substitutions, required equipment, and serving suggestions; a list of reliable mail-order suppliers of seafood and other chowder ingredients.

Jasper White brings to 50 Chowders the same enthusiasm and flair that made his previous book, Lobster at Home, "like having a Down Easter by your side, distilling years of experience and telling you just what to do" (Corby Kummer of The Atlantic Unbound). With this treasure trove of information and expertise in your kitchen, you will never think of chowder in the same way again.

Average Customer Rating:

Great Chowders	Customer Rating:
I have used a lot of cookbooks and recipes but the ones provided in this book are some of the best I have ever made, eaten or tried. As a "Chowda Head" from way back I give two thumbs up.

A Great Book Beyond The Recipes

Customer Rating:

This is a great (understatement) book beyond just the recipes. I grew up in a coastal area in the Northeast, yet despised the common clam chowder that ended up on our dinner table from time to time. The thought of salty milk flavored broth and rubberized clams that I could never bite all the way through gave me a tremendous aversion to the canned stuff. As I grew older and developed a love for good food and fresh ingredients, I stumbled back onto homage chowder and soups. This book is a must have for anyone who makes any kind of soup at home and has at least a passing taste for seafood. As a former Rhode Islander who lived on the east bay, White's references and stories that lead up to most of the recipes serve up some great nostalgia. White's stories are colorful in their subtle detail and provide an appreciation for the casual and organic nature of chowders and seafood based stews. All the recipes I've tried so far, about 8 of them, have been excellent. My all around favorite has been the New England Fish Chowder (pg. 79). There are also great basics like several ways to create different stocks which can be used in a variety of rice dishes, like risotto for example. My wife and I have dozens of cookbooks, and this is by far my favorite and second most frequently used behind Betty Crocker's Cookbook (believe it or not). It's also a generally interesting read. One side note, over the years I've tried to use salt pork, which White, like other chowder recipe authors recommends for several dishes. I use a cast iron Dutch oven which cooks well and evenly, but I've always found that salt pork didn't cook well for me and the taste, almost metallic, undermined the flavor of any chowder. I try to use good quality smoked bacon for the best results. I only mention it because if I felt that salt pork was a necessity for chowder, I would probably never make it again.

50 Chowders: One Pot Meats, Clam, Corn & Beyond	Customer Rating:
50 Chowders by Jasper White; saw the author on Emeril's show and we immediately ordered Summer Shack and this book. Outstanding, no one needs another chowder book.

50 Chowders : One Pot Meals - Clam, Corn, & Beyond	Customer Rating:
As an avid cook book collector and amateur chef I found this particular cook book very well organized and easy to follow/use. I have tried some of the recipes and found them to be most flavorful. 50 Chowders is a welcome element to my collection.

classical chowder	Customer Rating:
This book is wonderful the recipes and ingredients are exact and the chowders are delicious if your an experienced cook you can variate the ingredients to your style, a wonderful book for those in the cooler regions.Nothing better than a great chowder stewing on a cool afternoon.