Clam Chowder

Saute a few strips of bacon finely chopped and well done.  Drain and set aside.

Saute in some bacon fat diced celery and onion.  Add grated carrot (for color) at last minute.  Drain and set aside.

In a large soup pot add peeled and diced potato. 

Here the recipe is sketchy, according to taste and what you have around.

Ideally, add 2-4 cups clam juice or to cover potatoes.  Never pour all clam juice as sand settles out and you don't want to add the sand.  Add a little water if you want.  Boil until potatoes are tender.  Add cooked bacon pieces and celery, onion and carrot.  Add any variation of milk, cream and or half and half you want or have or prefer.  Do not boil or the milk will curdle or scorch.  Add raw diced clams at the very last minute before serving chowder.  They get tough the more you cook them and they don't need to cook.  Craig doesn't necessarily add all the clam bellies either.

I prefer a light, milky chowder most of the time, but some people prefer a thick, creamier chowder.  In that case, in a separate pot, start with a rue of bacon fat and flour, maybe 2 TBSP fat and 1/4 cup flour.  Whisking continually, add milk, cream and/or half and half or any combination and amount thereof to make 2-4 cups. Add to the cooked potatoes and clam juice.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Just warm through.  Do not boil.

Another way to have thicker soup is to add more potatoes.  
Butter can be used instead of bacon fat.  
Optional seasonings:  salt, pepper and herbs de Province.