New England Clam Chowder

A thick creamy soup of clams, salt pork or bacon, potato, onion, milk, and cream: the white New England style as opposed to the tomato-based Manhattan or the clear-broth Rhode Island. The dish's character is briny clam liquor, smoky pork fat, dairy richness, and starchy potato weight. Often served with oyster crackers crumbled on top or a hard-tack-style cracker on the side. The wine must handle dairy weight, smoky pork, and the saline mineral character of the clams without overwhelming the soup's gentleness.