During the winter season, nothing is as good as clam chowder, specifically New England clam chowder. And, the winters are long up here in New England. Although, nothing beats freshly made homemade clam chowder, sometimes the convenience of canned soups can’t be avoided.
I recently tried Pilgrim Joe’s Clam Chowder. This brand is only available at Trader Joe’s, the supermarket mecca for heat and eat shoppers. Mainly stocked with prepared foods at reasonable prices, it is definitely not the place for fresh produce and those who cook.
Pilgrim Joe’s Clam Chowder, $1.49
This is a condensed soup, so milk must be added. I prefer my chowder thick and chunky, so I added less than the recommended can of milk and only added 2/3 can of milk. The chunky was lacking as the potatoes seemed sparse. The flavor was blah blah bland, so I added some fresh parsley and black pepper to make it more palatable. The only positive aspects of this soup were the nice substantial chunks of clam and its price.
Ingredients: Sea clams and sea clam juice, Potatoes, Wheat flour, Modified corn starch, Onions, Salt, Celery, Soybean oil, Xanthan gum, Natural flavorings
Nutritional Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup (3.5 servings /can), Calories 80, Calories from fat 20
Other considerations: I don’t eat meat so I won’t eat chowder with bacon or meat-based stock. Also, I dislike celery so I am biased against chowders with a strong celery flavor, such as Olde Cape Cod Clam Chowder.
I agree with this post. I think the soup is glutinous and lacks potatoes. I added a small can of Snow’s minced clams (well drained) to this soup, and a little half and half and a little milk (less than the full can’s worth), lots of freshly ground black pepper, and it was palatable. But I don’t think I’d buy it again.