Bookbinder Soup (hearty seafood stew-like soup)

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This soup is dark, thick and rich. This was likely the most famous thing on the Rockford, Illinois Mayflower Restaurant's menu for the many years it was considered the best restaurant in Illinois second largest city.

Here's the Mayflower Restaurant’s recipe from 1984 “Brunch Basket Cookbook” published by the Junior League of Rockford.

Bookbinder Soup
1 pound chopped clams
16 cups water
3 cups fresh seafood pieces (snapper, whitefish, cod. etc.)
2 cups chopped celery
1 cups chopped carrots
1 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp. beef base
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 12-ounce can tomato purée
Roux as needed (melted butter and flour, or Wondra)
1/4 cup cocktail sherry

Bring clam meat and seafood to a boil in water; boil 15 minutes. (If you use canned clams, they don’t have to be added until the last minute, as they would get tough if overcooked.) Add celery, carrots, onions and seasonings.

Allow to boil over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add tomato purée and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Thicken to desired consistency with roux. Add more seasonings to taste. Add cocktail sherry before serving. Serves 16-20.