Clams take center stage at San Clemente’s chowder cook-off

SAN CLEMENTE – Chowder fans packed the pier to sample the entries at the 30th San Clemente Seafest Sunday, Oct. 1.
Clams took center stage – no one could say how many –  but some 6,925 cups of chowder were devoured at the event.
Fourteen chowder teams entered the Chamber of Commerce’s annual chowder cook-off, setting up booths on the pier. Volunteers served chowders to purchasers of 1,385 taste tickets that offered five chowders for $8.
A variety of toppings wer