Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
3 cans (7.5 ounces) clams, chopped/minced
4 soda crackers
1 quart milk
¼ pound salt pork
1 onion chopped
2 ½ cups diced raw potato
¾ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 TB butter or margarine

Instructions:
Drain liquid from clams and add water to it to make 3 cups. Crumble crackers into milk to soak. Cook finely diced salt pork in large kettle until crisp and golden. Remove and drain; pour off al but 2 TB dripping. Add onion and cook gently until soft. Add clam liquid, potato, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in milk, clams and butter cut in bits. Heat very, very slowly until soup is hot and flavor well blended, but does not boil. Add salt pork bits and ladle into warm bowls. Makes 6-8 servings.

*For fresh clams, grind the firm parts of 1 quart shucked clams and cook with potatoes in the clam liquid and water. Coarsely chop softer parts of clams; add to chowder last few minutes of cooking.