Keller Family Blog

I found it really hard to make a selection from the recipe book this time. Larry and I had just finished eating Bernice’s Ramen Noodle Stir-Fry (page 39) for the second time and loved it just as much as the first! Earlier in the week, I had made Diane’s Filipino Chicken Adobo (page 33), so yummy!!! But then, Ingrid mentioned that she was making sourdough bread bowls to serve soup in that evening – she and Julian have become MAJOR sourdough bread bakers! – and it brought me back to a very special memory, which I’ll share with you and which is the reason for the choice of Clam Chowder, page 44.

After our family reunion over Thanksgiving weekend, a little over a year ago, Jim, Jenness, Larry, and I took a day and went to an area called Shoreline Village in Long Beach. It is as it sounds, a village of little stores and restaurants, ice cream parlors and candy shops that sits along the bay leading out to the ocean. It was a beautiful day, sunny, warm enough to walk along the water without a jacket, and the perfect place to sit outside and have your lunch. So, that’s what we did! As you know, Jim was having difficulty swallowing by that time, so I wasn’t quite sure how lunch would go for him. “He’ll find something he can eat,” Jenness said, and so, he did. We stopped at a funky little chowder/seafood place with outdoor seating with wooden tables and chairs, where we could enjoy the scenery and watch the world go by. Jenness and I ordered Clam Chowder in a bread bowl, Larry had sand dabs, and Jim ordered shrimp, yes, SHRIMP, and he ate all of it! I don’t remember him having any difficulty swallowing or experiencing even the smallest choking spell that day. It was as if he were once again that person who could chew and swallow comfortably and savor his food as much as he ever had. I became pretty emotional when I saw that his plate was completely empty. He was so content and seemed to be enjoying himself so much. I can still see the four of us at that funky restaurant, chatting away, eating our lunches, then casually walking and talking along the full length of Shoreline Village’s boardwalk…it was such a lovely moment in time. This Clam Chowder is the New England version that Jenness and I ate. Take a look at the recipe we have in our Family Cookbook. To read it is to want it! Don’t forget to serve your Clam Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, if possible. If you’re in the mood for clams without it being a soup, make sure you check out Jenness’s recipe for Linguini with White Clam Sauce on page 35. It’s super delicious! Many of you may have already eaten it, since she and Jim made it often on family ski trips. You don’t need to use fresh clams if you don’t wish to. Be sure to read Jenness’s tips at the top of the recipe page before you begin.

March has St. Patrick’s Day! Irish recipes of any kind from anywhere are welcome! Who wants March? Until then, Kari