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A very random thought


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Sean Elifritz

Sean Elifritz

Administrator
This is something I have discussed before but can't recall if I've ever brought it up here.

This is a a great mystery to me, something I've pondered off and on for years. Even ghosts, bigfoot, Nessie, UFOs, etc., seem more easy to figure out to me than this.

Why can't Manhattan Clam Chowder be bought in a can in Ohio?

In a few days I'm going to be 39 years old and I've lived in Ohio (Northeastern part) for nearly 30 years. In all that time I cannot recall seeing a can of Manhattan Clam Chowder for sale on a store shelf...EVER. Doesn't matter what brand, I've seen no version of it at all.

You can buy New England Clam Chowder everywhere. Every grocery store carries it in a variety of brands, even generic.

But Manhattan? It's as though it is banned.

OK, ok, Ohio isn't Manhattan you say. It isn't New England either! In fact, Manhattan is closer.

So what gives?
 
Fox probably wouldn't have an explanation either.

Have considered mail ordering from Amazon so that I can actually see a can of the stuff for the first time.

---------- Post added at 04:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:49 PM ----------

Out of curiosity I did a search for Campbell's Chunky Manhattan Clam Chowder at Walmart's website. It came up of course because that is a soup that Campbell's makes. But I was also informed that no Walmart within 50 miles (For all I know it might be 500 because 50 miles is all the further it searches) of me carries it. Perhaps I'm being silly but I really find it weird that some states are banned from purchasing certain types of soup. I don't believe for a second that nobody in Ohio would buy it. Beating a dead horse I suppose but sometimes the simplest things are the strangest.
 
Ive never seen a can of any sort of clam chowder, i recall that episode of mash where they order adams ribs from
Chicago.
Anyone here from Manhatten ?
 
mike said:
Ive never seen a can of any sort of clam chowder, i recall that episode of mash where they order adams ribs from
Chicago.
Anyone here from Manhatten ?
Click to expand...

In that vein, one of the eng's. back at CyberstationUSA (in Boston, Mass) used to live out here in Calf. and has told me a number of times that he has been Jonesing bad for In N Out Burgers. If you don't live out this way, chances are you never heard of In N Out Burgers but out here they are legendary. Until I moved here I had never heard of them but once I discovered them ... well Dude, they are 5 star.

For example check this out ...

In-N-Out Burger - Welcome

and their "secret" menu ...

In-N-Out’s Secret Menu :: Badmouth

So, he asked me if I would buy him a "double/double" and ship it back to Boston at Christmas .... Hey, I just might ....

Decker
 
i asked my brother fox about this, he suggested it may be because clams don't like being enclosed and in damp dark places, when i pointed out to him that a clam's natural enviornment is an enclosed damp dark place he mumbled something about spotting a grey outside his living room window and hung up on me

and i second Don's remarks on "In N' Out" wares, especially the animal style burger but i usually defer on the spread as i think it detracts from the meat

..."In N Out" seriously sounds like an awesome name for a laxative"... THAT, my good man is classic!!!
 
The ban has ended!

I was at a Walmart earlier today and was stunned when I saw Campbell's Manhattan clam chowder on the shelf. I bought 4 cans, marking the first time I've ever owned the stuff in any brand. Heck, it's the first time I've even seen a can of it. Haven't tried it yet. Doesn't even matter to me if it's any good or not--it's in a can so how good can it be?--just for the longest time couldn't make sense of it not being sold here when New York is closer to me than any New England state. Don't know what led to the mysterious and years-long embargo of it suddenly being lifted but at least that's one less thing for me to go "hmm" about.

Edit: Trying it now. Not bad. Better than New England clam chowder. :)
 
Yuk! I tried clam chowder in California ages back and although I don't mind plenty of fish and some other seafood, I thought clam chowder was just disgusting. Having said that, the other people with me liked it fine so it seems I'm in the minority.

Enjoy your New England Clam Chowder. (Your tale of embargo's reminds me of British people boycotting Argentinian steak pies in answer to the Falklands conflict. I know people who still wont buy anything from Argentina!)
 
Sean Elifritz said:
This is something I have discussed before but can't recall if I've ever brought it up here.

This is a a great mystery to me, something I've pondered off and on for years. Even ghosts, bigfoot, Nessie, UFOs, etc., seem more easy to figure out to me than this.

Why can't Manhattan Clam Chowder be bought in a can in Ohio?

In a few days I'm going to be 39 years old and I've lived in Ohio (Northeastern part) for nearly 30 years. In all that time I cannot recall seeing a can of Manhattan Clam Chowder for sale on a store shelf...EVER. Doesn't matter what brand, I've seen no version of it at all.

You can buy New England Clam Chowder everywhere. Every grocery store carries it in a variety of brands, even generic.

But Manhattan? It's as though it is banned.

OK, ok, Ohio isn't Manhattan you say. It isn't New England either! In fact, Manhattan is closer.

So what gives?
Click to expand...


Wow, small world, I live in Northeastern Ohio too. Weird. I have nothing to say about the clam chowder thing though, I don't eat seafood.:D
 
I love seafood but I've never once had Manhattan Clam Chowder. I've never even seen it offered at any of the better seafood restaurants.

I'd love to try it but I'd be loathe to initially try the canned variety. For one thing, I normally avoid canned foods (with the exception of Rotel and a couple of enchilada sauces). For another, it just seems as though a canned clam chowder has the potential to be, well, scary. If I happen to come across it, I may still get it. You never know.
 
When I was a small child I remember a service buddy of my Grandfather's (and I don't recall if it was a Navy buddy or an Army one-he served in both WWI and WWII) brought him a bushel basket of clams he gathered in, I believe it was the Deleware Bay area. At any rate I helped him clean them and I recall he had a specific "clam knife" he used to pop them open. Well, the upshot was I recall he made a huge pot of clam chowder and the entire family then gathered to partake of it. If I recall it was pretty damned good too! Interesting topic.

Decker
 
Great story Don ,
Also remember having rabbit stew with the family Vets who showed us young ones how to shoot, map read and hunting skills and enjoy the outdoors which these days kids rather sit in front of the idiot box.
 
Funny, I was in a drug store yesterday and was looking to buy some Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup because I wanted to try making Hardee's Mushroom N' Swiss burgers at home and recipes I found online said to use that. Out of curiosity I looked to see if they had Manhattan Clam Chowder and they did. So all of a sudden it's everywhere. Strange.

Want to point out that I don't have some kind of obsession with clam chowder or even seafood. In fact, I hardly ever eat seafood. But I do like tomatoes. Imo the tomato is the most important food ingredient in the world. Tacos, spaghetti, pizza, chili, lasagna, all the best stuff use tomatoes. Well, a few years ago I happened to see something on Food Network about Manhattan Clam Chowder and figured I'd like it because it has a tomato base. Made a note on my shopping list to pick some up. But I couldn't find it anywhere. Months and even years later I still couldn't find it and it just became this weird thing to me.
 
Well Sean, I understand. I have this thing about Porsche's. I bought one when I came back from the Army and it is the one car that I have LOVED ever since. Some clown ran a stop sign and T-boned me in it ... and that was the end of my Porsche. However ... I made a vow that someday I would get another one. And every year my wife asks me what I want for my birthday (and of course at Christmas) and I tell her "well Sweetheart, what I REALLY want is a Porsche!" Of course she gives me that strange look that only Vicki can give me ... and wonders off.

Some DAMNED day I'm gonna get that car ... some day!

Decker
 
When I made a King Sooper's run a couple of nights ago, I was amazed to see a can of Campbell's Manhattan Clam Chowder sitting directly across the aisle from the sauerkraut I was getting. It's sheer, stupid luck that I happened to see it at all. I went ahead and bought a can and will try it once I find the nerve.
 
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