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The Wonderful and Incredible Life of Soup |
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Written by Rachael
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"Sissy, where does soup come from?" Another on of those questions I didn't know the answer to. High Honors student from high school up and I couldn't answer her. Well, at least that's how I know she's going to be smarter than me. Her question was a very good one. Though millions of people have soup everyday, someone had to start making it and I (or the rest of the population) didn't stop to think who it was. My research turned out having a lot more to it than I thought.
A little bit about soup first of all. Although people used hot water to heat foods, it was not until the invention of heatproof containers that foods were able to boil in their juices. The invention of these containers started new taste sensations. When flavors were released from boiling, it created a whole different menu for the general populations. Ancient people (it is assumed) would eat everything in the pot including the liquid, which was an ancient version of the soup. Initially they could have been cooked on hot stones in bowls of natural substances. Soup derives from the word "sup" meaning the bread on which the broth was poured. In the beginning it was more like porridge and gruel.
When the Roman Empire collapsed, soups of Central Asia entered the Europe's culinary menu. Turks didn't limit their consumption to a certain time of the day like other countries. It was at all times of the day and with many different meals that they consumed their soup. They loved vegetable soup especially. The common people at localized soup and the higher class in Europe put in their soup whichever ingredients were expensive.
Broths were shared at the medieval tables. Liquid was used more as a sauce or a sense of warmth for the hearty ingredients that were stored within. They were eaten by hand or with knives at first.
In the 14th century the spoon was invented, but when they became widely used was in the 16th century when the nobility started wearing those ruffles around their necks. They needed spoons so as not to spill on their expensive clothes. Soup recipes begun being published seriously in "Robert May's Accomplished Cook" in 1660. Bisques and savory ingredients begun to get included in the broth recipes and all was happy.
Even before cookbooks were published in America, newspapers and magazines mentioned them. William parks published the first cookbook in America. America is the melting pot and its many culinary influences show in its soups. The Germans helped us to see that a soup can be a meal. After the French Revolution, the French fled to America, and in the process brought high flueten gourmet soups. Then those from the slave uprisings in Haiti brought Cajun soups. Soup was often a first course at dinner parties all through the new world.
By the end of the 19th century it was part of our diets. It was economical and nutritious. As being inexpensive and gourmet, it equaled American lifestyle. Soup is now on every table and every family has their favorite soup recipe. It's all a matter of taste and tradition.
"The New World Sweet Pea Soup With Crushed Mint Ice"*
Ingredients: 1 bunch of fresh mint, 40 oz of frozen sweet peas, 2 tbs of margarine, 1 and ½ cups of vegetable broth, 8 oz of white chopped onion., ½ tsp of black pepper, and 1 tsp of salt.
1) Cover and bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the mint. Let steep in there for about 2 hours. Strain and discard the mint. Transfer to two ice cube trays. Freeze until solid.
2) Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cook stirring often until the onions are done (about 8 minutes).
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3) Add the stock, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Prepare an ice water bath and set aside. Add the peas and cook about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to the ice bath. Stir until cold.
4) Transfer soup to a blender and process until smooth. Adjust consistency with more stock. Chill until ready to serve.
5) Transfer the mint cubes to a blender. Process the mint cubes until they are crushed.
6) Place the chilled soup in bowls and top with a spoonful of crushed mint ice. Serve chilled.
7) Enjoy this modern twist on a delicious classic.
* Base of recipe from Martha Stewart and then I molded it from there.
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