Clam Chowder Like Mom's

This is the way Ninilchik people

have made clam chowder for

generations. We do not use thickenings.

It is more like a soup but very delicious.

I think people thicken chowder because

they do not have enough clams but here

in Alaska they are plentiful. We have

a daily bag limit of 60 clams during the low

tides. Yes people do dig clams in Alaska

during the winter. Ninilchik people

dig at night usually using a gas

lantern or sometimes today a battery

lantern. Winter clams are usually thin

and tough but if you're hungry for them

you can always make fritters. We fry

them, eat them smoked, make casseroles,

clam dips, stir-fry and any other thing

we can think of but our favorite is always

3 cups ground or snipped razor clams

or use several jars of clams

snip them into smaller than bite

size pieces. Reserve all nectar and use

as part of the water

1 onion chopped

1/2 cup long grain rice

4-5 peeled and dice potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

(Onion powder if flavor is needed

or chowder is bland)

6 thick slices of bacon diced and

fried reserving grease

Canned milk to taste

Use clam nectar and water to make

broth about 8 cups, add onions and rice.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until

rice is half done (about ten minutes).

Add potatoes. Simmer about 8 minutes

until potatoes are almost done. Add bacon,

grease and clams. Just cook until clams

are done or they will be tough. (You may

thicken with flour at this point) Add milk

or let individuals add their own milk. It

takes a lot of milk to get flavor right. If

reheating with milk do not boil as milk

will curdle. This is very fast and easy to cook.