For New Englanders, clam chowder — often affectionately called “chowdah” — is more than just a soup; it’s a deep-rooted cultural identity and the ultimate comfort food against the harsh Atlantic winds. So, when someone wanted to replace the cream base with tomato broth, a war broke out. The Great Clam Chowder War of 1939 was a legendary culinary and legislative dispute sparked when Maine State Representative Cleveland Sleeper drafted a bill to make putting tomatoes in clam chowder illegal. That would have effectively outlawed the tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder, with violators facing the punishment of digging a barrel of clams at high tide. The standoff culminated in a highly publicized cook-off in Portland, Maine, to settle the score without government interference. A panel of high-profile judges, including Maine Gov. Lewis O. Barrows (pictured) and Ruth Wakefield, the inventor of the chocolate chip cookie, was convened to evaluate the two broths. Not surprisingly, the judges unanimously crowned the traditional New England-style clam chowder the winner. Satisfied with the victory, Rep. Sleeper dropped his bill, solidifying the legendary divide between red and white clam chowders.
