Election Day Tradition: Clam Chowder Is Served Schodack NY

There are a great many traditions in America. Many families have traditions within their homes. My hometown area of Schodack NY and surrounding region had an  Election Day tradition that still is going on to this day. Having a clam chowder lunch. It was usually held in churches back then , the Methodist church or the Reformed church held them. I have traced this back as far as the 1920's. Manhattan Clam Chowder was the chowder of choice. There was even a goofy slogan said back then...'if you want things to go your way , eat your chowder come election day. Trust me , most Pol's ate a bowl of chowder if they were running for office that year. Including my Mom & Dad and me. As a matter of fact that is a Hudson Hawk family tradition to this day. The ladies of the churches would start around 6:00am to prepare and by 11:00 be ready to serve. So in a recent visit back home I rediscovered that old tradition. Now a days the luncheons are usually served in the Fire Houses. Sometimes with a bake sale. From South Schodack NY to the hamlet of Valatia in Columbia County and beyond the tradition holds and yes it is still good and warming and brings back old memories. With the rancor currently in politics , it was a moment of sanity in a rural part of the world. Sanity on Election Day , a quiet peaceful lunch. Somewhere I know there is a lesson in that simple traditional moment. ......My thanks to Marian Peters for Charlene Harris for their help with this blog.