The Origins of Soup Making
Mankind has been Creating Hearty Broths Since the Invention of Fire
Sep 13, 2009
According to D. Eleanor Scully & Terence Scully in their book, Early French Cookery, University of Michigan Press, An Arbor 1995, p. 102. "Our modern word "soup" derives from the Old French word sope and soupe.
The meal at the end of a normal day was always the lighter of the two meals of the day, and the sop appears to have had an important place in it. In fact it was precisely because of the normal inclusion of a sop in this end-of-the-day meal that it became called "souper" or "supper."
Soups are easily digested and were prescribed for invalids since ancient times. These soups could be as simple as breads and grains soaked in milk or water to make gruel.
Feeding the Hungry Multitudes with Soup
During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, soup kitchens were opened to provide, what was often, the only source of nutrition to the destitute, unemployed men and women who travelled from city to city seeking work.
Soup was a perfect food choice for both sedentary and travelling cultures. Varieties of soup (and stews, pottages, porridges and gruels) were based on local ingredients and tastes.
People who lived near the sea made fish soups and chowders such as New England Chowder and lobster bisque. Other regional soups included Spanish gazpacho, Russian borscht, Italian minestrone, French onion, Chinese won ton and meat and vegetable soups from the rich farmland of central United States, Canada, and Europe.
Soup in the Modern World
Today, soup takes many forms: ready to serve in cartons, condensed in cans, dehydrated and microwavable. But the best soups are still those prepared at home and made from fresh, wholesome ingredients.
Prepared soup stocks can be bought at most bulk food or grocery stores. Many of these products, however, are loaded with sodium. Although, some soup companies such as Campbell’s are now offering sodium reduced broth mixes. But it is often healthier and just as simple to make a broth or soup stock from scratch.
For a meat-based soup stock, slowly simmer a lean cut of meat, along with the bone, in a pot of water to which seasonings have been added. When the meat is cooked remove bone, dice meat and return to broth. The broth can be used immediately by adding vegetables or pasta to the broth or stored in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
To make a vegetable soup stock simmer fresh, chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, potatoes, turnips, onions or any local fresh vegetables. Add seasoning according to taste.
This recipe for Potato soup is a good way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It is also an economical, hearty dish that can be used as a first course or an entrée.
Potato Soup
- 1-cup leftover mashed potatoes
- or 2 large potatoes cooked and mashed
- 2 tbsps butter or margarine
- 2 tbsps flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black or white pepper
- 1 tsp. fresh or dried parsley
Directions:
- Melt butter over low heat; slowly add flour stirring constantly to make a roux.
- Scald milk in microwave or over low heat in a saucepan
- Add to roux, stirring constantly
- Add chopped onion
- Simmer, stirring often to prevent milk from burning, until onion is soft.
- For a thinner soup dilute milk with water or use skim milk.
- Stir in parsley.
Serve hot with a salad , fish or meat dish. It can also be refrigerated and served up to a week later. Reheat on low heat or in the microwave to prevent scorching.
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