SOUP’S ON

SOUPS

“I live on good soup, not on fine words”.  Moliére

There’s no doubt it – soup’s approachable topic of discussion. Who doesn’t crave or give unswerving devotion to a bowl of steamy, sexy, stick-to-your-ribs soup? Hailing as far back as far back as 20,000 BC, give or take a few years, soup’s been a companion to early man and deeply embedded in the history of cooking. In French the word is “soupe” and in Latin “suppa” means “bread soaked in broth”.

In the 1400’s bone broth was given to the ailing, recovering from long bouts of sickness and in 1800 it acted almost as a constitutional for gentlefolk suffering from physical exhaustion and continuous poor health. Hence, it’s rather thought-provoking, that the word “restaurant” which literally means “something restoring”, derives from a 17th century French soup, sold in street carts along the Seine river as a restorative.

In traditional French cuisine, soups are classified into two notable categories: clear soups, (consommés and bouillons) and thick soups (the hearty, stew-like kind or velvety-smooth, creamy version).

Purees are mostly vegetable soups thickened at times with some kind of starch. We can’t overlook the infamous and iconic Tomato Soup, typically accompanied by the magnanimous and iconoclastic grilled cheese. That’s as good as it gets right there.

Bisques derive from pureed shellfish or veggies with the addition of cream or stock. And when it comes to creamy soups, they may not necessarily include “cream”, more so describing the consistency of the soup.

Dependable additions are grains and rice (wild rice soup) and Chinese porridge (congee) and legumes such as in the Anglo/Indian Mulligatawny (curried split pea). Italian Ribollita and Minestrone incorporate beans to make them even heartier pottages. Tiny meatballs are the delight in Italian Wedding Soup, and the venerable Chicken Noodle Soup is a legend all on its own. South of the border we have Mexican Menudo and Pozole red or green loaded with hominy, pork or chicken.

The celebrated and incomparable Bouillabaisse hailing from Marseilles; the San Francisco landmark Cioppino and fiery Tom Yum are sought after by seafood lovers, and native to the South we have our very own Creole Gumbo, Jambalaya and Étouffée – where their origins today are still being debated. Worthy of mention is the Clam Chowder with its two delectable varieties – Manhattan red and New England white both beloved in their own way.

Pastas play a hefty addition to soups. The Asian counterparts include Ramen, which is now the in-vogue noodle; Chinese Egg Drop; Wonton; Singaporean Curry Laksa; the lovely Vietnamese Pho and another contender for the lovers of heat, Thai Tom Yum soup made with a spicy coconut based broth. Even Dean Martin drooled for the Italian Pasta Fazool in his song “That’s Amore”. Greeks relish their Avgolemono, a velvety chicken and rice soup created with lemon and egg which often is also made as a sauce.

Traditionally, light soups were the starting line up to suppertime and now the heartier breeds create full meals.  Brothy soups are served piping hot, like the unmatched and elegant French Onion soup and the chilled category make a splash for cooling us during the hot summer months, Vichyssoise and Spanish Gazpacho (red or white).

From canned to dried, lunch-soup-salad fares, take-out or homemade, soup is a part of the gastronomic global folklore of diurnal culinary forays.  And for all the magical moments it has bestowed us, we have venerated it by making January our National Soup Month.

So get your soup on and click on all these rendition to add them to your repertoire!

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