Rhode Trip with Corning Ware - Rhode Island Clam Chowder

I took a little "road trip" to the East Coast for dinner this evening.....

Not many people seem to know about Rhode Island Style Clam Chowder, aside from those that actually live in Rhode Island.   Maybe it's because of it's unassuming nature.  It's not flashy red and tomato laden like Manhattan Style, it's not loaded with cream and butter like New England Style.  It's sort of like "the clam chowder next door".  Humble and reserved...  Unpretentious and simple...yet unequivocally delicious.

It may be the least ostentatious of the three styles, but if you are a clam lover, then this is the Chowder for you.  No overpowering tomato, no cloying cream and butter, just clear brothy goodness, loaded with bits of clam, bacon and potato; accentuated with caramelized onions.

True, it should be made with Quahogs, but they are not available on the Left Coast, so I simply go with a combination of chopped & whole clams in a can (besides, I need the clam juice)

I think the true secret to the deliciousness of Rhode Island style Clam Chowder, isn't so much the clams, as it is the most over looked ingredient in your kitchen.... . These little babies.

It's time that Celery was given it's due.  Everyone is familiar with the ribs; they are one of the major players in Mirepoix, after all.  Some are familiar with Celery Root (Celeriac) shaved or julienne in salads or as a mash.  Celery Seed is even used is myriad recipes.... But not the leaves... WHY not the leaves?   They often just get tossed in the garbage.  It's time to think of Celery contributions to cooking, just as you would Cilantro.   Cilantro root and stems are used in Thai curries.. The leaves are used to adorn many Mexican dishes and the seeds (Coriander) are a key spice in the kitchen.   Just like Cilantro, Celery has many subtle flavors depending on which part you are using.   Adding Celery leaf at the end of cooking really adds a delightful "fresh" celery flavor to the soup and highlights the clams beautifully.

Rhode Island Style Clam Chowder

3 slices of Bacon, cut into matchsticks
3 TB Unsalted Butter
1 Onion, diced
4 Celery stalks, diced
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
3 TB All Purpose Flour
~2 cups Clam Juice (reserved from the canned clams)
4 cups Seafood Stock (or Fish, or Vegetable)
1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1/2 lb Red Potatoes, diced
1 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 lb Clam meat, drained & chopped (if using canned clams, you will need five 6.5oz cans to achieve the correct "drained" weight)
Celery Leaves, chopped
Kosher Salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper

Corning Ware 4 quart Dutch Oven (P-34) or P-84 (4 quart Sauce Pot) or A-5 (5 quart Dutch Oven/Sauce Pot)

Heat your P-34-B over medium heat; when hot, add the Bacon and saute until crispy, then remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the Butter and allow it to melt and mingle with the Bacon Fat in the stock pot.  

Add the diced Onion and allow it to sweat until it begins to darken in color. (about 15 minutes)  

Once the Onion has begun to caramelize, add the Celery & Garlic, cooking an additional 5 minutes. 

Add 3 TB All Purpose Flour and continue cooking until the mixture begins to smell nutty (about 3-5 minutes)

Drain the canned clams and set them aside, saving the juice (you should have about 2 cups of Clam juice... give or take) then add the Clam Juice....

along with the Seafood/Fish Stock.....

the Potatoes...

and the Thyme, as well as the Bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low, allowing the chowder to simmer for 15 minutes. 

Remove the pot from the flame, and remove the Bay leaf. (Trust me, you don't want to eat that)

Add the Clam meat and the Bacon, stirring and allowing them to heat through. 

Stir in the chopped Celery leaves. 

Taste and season as necessary with Salt and  Black Pepper.

Now you are ready to serve (with oyster crackers or Saltines, if you like) Mmmmmmmmmm! 

Not THAT is a big bowl of "happy" right there, that is.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Guacamole on the Half Shell? - My P-Series Shell Oil Avocado Medallion Collection

In late 1970 or early 1971 (it is not known for sure which date is correct) the Shell Oil Company's Credit Card Division began offering a special pattern of Corning Ware to it's card carrying customers.  The "Macrame" pattern, as it has become known, was available in either Avocado Green or Cornflower Blue until 1974.  Thus, the pieces available span the P-series as well as the A-series cut over in 1972.  This brings on a few problems when trying to determine exactly WHAT pieces were made.

Personally, I have a deep seated love for the P-series era of Corning Ware anyway, so I only collect pre-1972 pieces. It helps that the Petite pans, Pie Plate, Roaster and Loaf pan retained their P-series designation, even during the A-series era, post 1972.   Thus, there are technically MORE P-series pieces than there are A-series ones.

Thus far, I have been able to find the following pieces in Green Macrame......

This includes the P-2 1/2-B, the P-9-B, the P-41 Petite Pans, the P-332 Roaster, the P-315 Loaf Pan as well as the P-81 and P-82 Menu-ettes.  Sadly, I know the P-83 out there as well, cause I sold one 3 years ago on Ebay. (I can be SUCH an idiot sometimes!)

As far as the infamous 2 books are concerned... Neither mentions the Menu-ettes at ALL.  The P-309 Pie plate (I know for a fact it exists in blue) isn't mentioned either.

However, Kyle lists a P-1.5/A-1.5, a P-10/A-10 skillet, an A-84 (4 quart), though he states that it's a 5 quart.  Which means he's talking about the P-34.  (Very confusing, I know) He also mentions the P-43 Petite pan, but doesn't mention the P-41s which are in my photo above.  I would have thought it might be a typographical error in the book, but I have seen a photo of a P-43 petite on the corellecorner.com web site.  Randy & Debbie mention the roaster and the loaf pan, along with 2 covered saucepans, but not the sizes, as well as a skillet and a petite pan (instead of both sizes). 

The basic point, is that I don't think anyone knows for sure which pieces were actually made in this pattern.... I don't think they made the large roasters (P-21 & P-76) but you never know...   As I stated, neither of the books mentions the Menu-ette set or the pie plate, so your guess is as good as mine.

As far as the A-series pieces go, I know that production included an A-1 1/2-B as well as an A-8 skillet (I have them for sale on Etsy right now.)

Where is your Corningware??
~~

About Town With Corningware - Shell Oil and Macrame

Shell Oil Macrame promotional pieces, never sold in stores.

They were available to Shell Oil Gas Credit Card customers between 1971 and 1973 as a promo on the return envelope flap of their monthly bill.  This puts it around the same time as the oil crisis caused by the OAPEC embargo. This special promotional pattern spans the change in the shape of Corning Ware.  As a consequence, there are P models as well as A models in this design.

It came in Blue (Blue Macrame - Boxes are marked MB)

And Avocado Green (Green Macrame)

Though the Avocado version is sometimes referred to as "Avocado Medallion", that particular distinction belongs to a percolator design that was produced specifically to compliment the Avocado Round buffet servers in 1968; predating the Shell Oil Macrame in "Avocado" by about 4 years.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~