What makes something a Chowder?

Question

Why are some soups called "Chowder" instead of "soup"?

Answer 1

A soup is any combination of meat, fish, or vegetables in a broth. A chowder is a thick soup that usually contains seafood and potatoes as its primary ingredients though the term is often used more loosely in describing any rich, chunky soup. The word ``chowder" is derived from the French ``chaudiere, " the term for a caldron that fishermen traditionally used to make stews from the day's catch.

Answer 2

Traditionally, what distinguished chowders from soups and stews is that chowders were made with a white sauce, whereas soups and stews were made with stock or simply water. Hence, most 18th century chowder recipes called for salt pork or bacon (to provide the fat), flour or cracker meal (to provide the starch) and milk or cream (to provide the white liquid) necessary to make the white sauce. The other "must have" ingredient was potatoes and, as with most New England soups, onions and celery were usually added. The seasoning was simply salt and black pepper. Originally, most chowders contained inexpensive fish or seafood like cod or clams, although vegetable chowders were also popular, especially corn chowder.

Chowders probably originated with fishermen and were a working man's meal but, like most great "peasant" foods, it is not only delicious it is very nourishing. The inexpensive fish or seafood provides protein, the potatoes calories, the bacon or salt pork nutritionally important fatty acids, the onions vitamin C and the milk many other vitamins. It doesn't get much better than that.

Answer 3

Interesting question and I think a chowder is more of a stew than a soup. Responses here will be interesting to note.

Answer 4

This website gives you a wonderful history lesson on chowder:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/ChowderHistory.htm

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What makes a chowder a chowder, and not just a soup? Chowders originally contained some seafood, but today the definition seems broader. A chowder can be any thick, rich soup with chunks of ingredients in it. Potatoes, onions, milk or cream, flour (as a roux to thicken) and clams are common ingredients, but not mandatory. Corn chowders are almost as popular as clam chowders, and I've even seen a recipe for artichoke chowder. Manhattan clam chowder uses tomatoes, unlike its rival, traditional New England clam chowder, which uses milk. Jamaicans make conch chowder (frequently laced with coconut milk), Pacific Northwest chowders can contain smoked salmon, and chowders of shrimp, turkey, ham, and smoked sausage aren't unusual in the Americas either.

Anyone can make a chowder, and unlike meat stews or chiles, chowders don't simmer for great lengths of time on the stove (although it does take time to make a fresh stock, or you can use bottled clam juice or canned chicken broth).
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/kgk/0199/kgk012399.html

Answer 5

All fruits are fresh vegetables. A "vegetable" is a plant, any part of which can be used for food.

Answer 6

In the superstore, fruits are usually chosen far too soon. Some are rocks, many are bitter. Some of the fruit and vegetables are right (zucchini, onions, garlic, lettuce, greens, and a few others) so I'd have to go with vegetables.