The Astronomer and I celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary toward the tail end of April. In line with tradition, we relived our wedding banquet at Five Star Seafood Restaurant in San Gabriel (which unbeknownst to us moved across the street into the ballroom of the Hilton) and I prepared something delicious inspired by antiquated anniversary gifts. Thus far in our marriage, The Astronomer has been gifted edible interpretations of Paper, Cotton, Leather, Fruit, Wood, Sugar, Wool, Bronze, Pottery, Tin, Steel, Silk, Lace, Ivory, and Crystal.
Since it is customary to bestow wax upon one’s beloved in recognition of the sixteenth anniversary, I prepared a New England clam chowder with waxy red potatoes using a recipe from The Kitchn, and procured beautifully burnished canelé from a new specialist in Pasadena for dessert.
The Astronomer curated a thoughtful charcuterie board for my waxen gift, featuring a duo of waxed rind cheeses (gouda and goat), an array of cured meats sourced from Roma Italian Deli (mortadella, spicy salami, regular salami, and prosciutto), and a waxy honeycomb garnish.
Needless to say, we were well fed this year.
- 12 ounces bacon, chopped
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- 5 small celery stalks, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 red or Yukon gold potatoes, diced
- 3 bay leaf
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6-1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams
- Heaping 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Oyster crackers
Place minced garlic clove, diced celery stalks, and diced yellow onion in a medium bowl.
Cook chopped bacon in a large saucepan or small pot over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered out, about 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture (reserve the bowl), bay leaf, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the onion starts to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the clams.
Strain 4 (6 1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams through a fine-mesh strainer into the reserved bowl.
Sprinkle heaping 1/4 cup all-purpose flour over the bacon mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute
While stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, pour in the strained clam juice and 4 bottles clam juice. Add diced red or Yukon gold potatoes potatoes. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the drained clams and 1/3 cup heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring back to a simmer. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper as needed. Discard the bay leaf. Serve with oyster crackers and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Chowda!
The canelé, one matcha and the other ube, boasted caramelized exteriors and tender interiors thanks to a combination of butter, beeswax, and seasoned copper molds.
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Ain’t love grand?
- Year One: Paper
- Year Two: Cotton
- Year Three: Leather
- Year Four: Fruit
- Year Five: Wood
- Year Six: Candy
- Year Seven: Wool
- Year Eight: Bronze
- Year Nine: Pottery
- Year Ten: Tin
- Year Eleven: Steel
- Year Twelve: Silk
- Year Thirteen: Lace
- Year Fourteen: Ivory
- Year Fifteen: Crystal
