Clam Chowder and Seafood Bisque (including Lobster Bisque) are similar dishes, with similar seasonings, and just a few differences. We'll start with Chowder, and then tell you how to modify it into a light and tasty Bisque.

I've been making chowder ever since I left home. My mother made clam chowder once in a while, but it was just an Irish Milk and Potato Soup with Clams - traditional in some areas. I wanted Skipper's chowder. I haven't quite achieved that yet, but I make a mean chowder that really satisfies. My mother is shocked. For her, Potato Soup or Chowder is poor food, made with a minimum of ingredients. For me, it is soul food. Comfort food. Hearty food.

Now, in our house, there is only ONE KIND of chowder. It is the WHITE KIND. New England Chowder RULES. I've never even TRIED Manhatten Clam Chowder, the thought of tomatoes in there just kinda turns me off. And hubby doesn't like tomatoes in his soup.

Clam Chowder

• Good Clams - Ok, so you need four small cans or two large ones... but they are mostly JUICE. So I'm telling you GET CLAMS, and as much as you can. LOTS OF CLAMS makes better clam chowder. You can use salted water to replace clam juice in most recipes, but I don't count it - put it in if you have it, it is offset by water.
• Potatoes - At least 4. More if you make more chowder.
• Onions - One big, or more. Chopped fine.
• Celery - A good cup or two of chopped celery and leaves.
• Carrots - Shred up 1 or more good sized carrots.
• Chicken Broth - 2 cans, or equivalent boullion.
• Dried Parsley - 1-3 tsps, depending on how much you like (adds a tangy flavor).
• Redmond Real Salt Seasoning Salt (1/4 to 1/2 tsp - not a lot) - This is an HERBED seasoning salt. If you don't have it, add a pinch or two of poultry seasoning, and some garlic salt.
• Pepper - A light dusting, or heavy dusting, depending on how much you like pepper.
• Salt - to taste.
• Water - just enough to ALMOST cover the chunky stuff - do NOT let it go swimming.

Put all that on to boil. Let it boil until the potatoes and other veggies are tender.

• Melted Butter - 1 stick or more. Real and salty butter, ok?
• Milk - 1-3 cups
• Flour - Estimate the liquid. 1 tbsp flour per cup.

Mix the flour into the butter to make a white roux.

Add the MILK to the soup.

Add the flour and butter to the soup.

Bring to a boil, and stir continuously while the soup thickens. You can adjust with more white roux to thicken it more, OR you can add more milk to thin it a bit.

Test for salt, and make this taste OH, SO SAVORY.

Ok, so a Bisque is both simpler, and stranger. If you can make a good chowder, you can make a great bisque, but remember it is somewhat thinner.

There are two kinds of Bisque - a New England, and a Boston. Again, we have that milk versus tomato going on, and some people just open a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup, thin it down, and toss in the shrimp or Crab. But I won't go there, I think there's just something more delicious!

Seafood Bisque

• Seafood - Again, a lot. Shrimp, that Krab stuff, Crab, Lobster, Crawdad, Scallop, Clams, or anything else you can get your frog knife into. (That instruction came from Forrest, straight from Bubba Shrimp.)
• Onions - about 1 large, chopped fine
• Celery - Several ribs, WITH the leaves, chopped fine
• Chicken or Fish Broth - 2 cans, or equivalent boullion
• Dried Parsley - 1-3 tsps, depending on how much you like (adds a tangy flavor).
• Redmond Real Salt Seasoning Salt (1/4 to 1/2 tsp - not a lot) - This is an HERBED seasoning salt. If you don't have it, add a pinch or two of poultry seasoning, and some garlic salt.
• Pepper - A light dusting, or heavy dusting, depending on how much you like pepper.
• Salt - to taste.
• Cocktail Sauce - 1-2 tbsp.
• OPTIONAL - Cayenne pepper, at your own risk
• Water - just enough to ALMOST cover the chunky stuff - do NOT let it go swimming.

Put all that on to boil. Let it boil until the celery is tender. (Gourmands add the fish last, AFTER the veggies are tender. Cookery Slop Artists just throw it on and cook the life out of it and hope for the best, and usually get a GREAT flavor.)

• Melted Butter - 1/2 a stick or more. Real and salty butter, ok? This is a THINNER soup, so it won't suspend as much butter as the chowder.
• Milk - 1-3 cups - Again, enough for a thinner soup.
• Flour - Estimate the liquid. 2 tsp flour per cup.

Mix the flour into the butter to make a white roux.

Add the MILK to the soup.

Add the flour and butter to the soup.

Bring to a boil, and stir continuously while the soup thickens. You can adjust with more white roux to thicken it more, OR you can add more milk to thin it a bit.

Test for salt, and make this taste OH, SO SAVORY.

This should be THICKENED, but it should NOT round up on the spoon. It is not a thick STEW type chowder, it is a thinner more brothy white gravy style (like Bechamel).