Instructions: * Note: You can buy chopped fresh clams from a fish market or use 5 quarts of scrubbed hard-shell quahogs and steam them in a small amount of water in a large kettle until they open, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on size. Then scrape out the clam meat and chop or cut it with scissors into cranberry-size pieces. Pour cooking liquid into a glass measuring cup, let any mud settle, and pour off clean broth. This is clam liquor.

In a large kettle or soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels and reserve, leaving drippings in pot. Add onions to drippings and cook until softened but not brown, about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over onions and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in clam broth. Add potatoes, oregano and bay leaf and simmer uncovered until potatoes are almost tender, 10 minutes.

Add milk, tomatoes and clams and simmer uncovered over medium heat until potatoes are very tender, 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small dish, combine ketchup and baking soda and whisk mixture into chowder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for an hour or so or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, reheat chowder gently over medium-low heat. Remove bay leaf, add butter and swirl until melted. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Place crumbled crackers in bottoms of soup bowls and ladle chowder over them. Pass bacon or salt pork bits for sprinkling over top if desired.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Comments: By the last half of the 19th century, the whole of southern New England had begun its enthusiastic love affair with the tomato. Tomatoes began making their way into more and more old-time Yankee dishes, eventually adding their blushing beauty even to traditional chowders, particularly in Rhode Island. This savory chowder, which is tinted an attractive pale orange-pink by its tomato additions, is thickened in one of the classical ways with crumbled crackers.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.