But of course it can. Bechamel sauce has flour. The point of making
the roux in the separate saucepan is to properly cook the flour in the
butter so that there is not the slightest hint of 'pastiness.' Then,
of course, once you get that lovely aroma of shortbread, you wisk in
the liquid dairy product of your preference to make a consistency that
can be poured into the chowder, etc. etc.
"Dimitri" > wrote in message .com>...
> "dreamhawk" > wrote in message
> m...
> > We always used a roux or cream sauce to create the true rib-sticking
> > thick smooth texture. This is made in a separate saucepan and added
> > at the very end. You make the chowder with a minimal amount of
> > liquid, then stir in the thick cream sauce and thin it to the
> > consistency you prefer with milk, cream or canned skim milk.
>
> There are many things that will work as a thickener. Even a slurry of flour
> and milk or 1/2 & 1/2. The question becomes one of flavor and can the flour
> be cooked long enough to lose the "pasty" flavor.
>
> Like the man said "different strokes for different folks"
>
> :-)
>
> Dimitri

There's always St. Vincent's Arrowroot - it's not gummy, doesn't overthicken
and works quite nicely.

Paul


"Curly Sue" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 10:46:05 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" >
> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Jack Schidt®" > wrote in message
> >>
> >> The
> >> stuff I get in some of the restaurants is too thick; they must be using
> >corn
> >> starch or something the like. I prefer my chowder au naturel, in fact
I
> >> prefer the Rhode Island style with no cream and a heavy hand on the
black
> >> pepper.
> >
> >Seems as though "thickness" is becoming equated with"quality" some how.
It
> >can be thick and blechhhh or thin and tasty though.
> >Ed
>
> I still have nightmares of clam chowder in Michigan. "This is great
> clam chowder, it's so thick you can stand a spoon up in it!"
> Everywhere- wallpaper paste.
>
> Sue(tm)
> Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!