Ina’s Cheddar Corn Chowder. Also, Vampires.

I realized it had been awhile since I fell all over myself telling you how Ina is my favorite person in the world besides Taylor Hanson and Michelle Obama (now there is a dinner party I would like to be invited to), so last week I got the original Barefoot book out of the library and set to work. I don’t own this one, and having now spent some time with it I don’t know WHY, since it’s lovely and easy and all the things I love about Ina, and plus if I had my own copy I could be sure that all the crumbs in the binding were mine. 

It was my friend H’s birthday (also, PS, I got her a Twilight jigsaw puzzle for which she went so gangbusters it almost made up for the fact that I was so embarrassed about BUYING a Twilight jigsaw puzzle that when I went up to the checkout counter at Borders I got this awful case of verbal spew and was all, “It’s a Twilight jigsaw puzzle. It’s not for me. It’s for my friend. It’s her birthday. She really likes jigsaw puzzles. And Twilight. I mean. It’s not for me.”) and she asked for something on the lighter side, so I made a big green spinach salad and the cheddar corn chowder.

IT WAS REALLY GOOD CHOWDER OKAY. Rich but not at all the kind of thing that makes you feel gross afterward, and so flavorful and autumn-y and just–cheerful. Can food be cheerful? This food was. I divided the recipe in thirds, since the original makes chowder for twelve people, but honestly even if I had made the full amount it probably would have been gone by the next day. 

Dear Ina: I hope you make this for Jeffrey on his birthday, along with your coconut cake and a nice bottle of wine, and I hope you got him a Twilight puzzle too, because the kids are just crazy for that Robert Pattinson. Many happy returns to you both from us here at Kitchen Door.