OK, Christopher's of Maynard got the most votes at today's Chowderfest. You want my opinion? The heat got to too many people. I'm sorry, Farmer Brown and his wife, Mrs. Brown, above, had the best chowder today (if you discount Turner Fisheries, which is in the "Hall of Fame" and so ineligible for votes). No, I'd never heard of them before, either and Farmer Brown runs a farm stand in Middleton, not a restaurant, but they know from chowder.

Of course, I can't clam up about the annual event on City Hall Plaza: