Interesting Historical Facts About Soup

Soup is on! The weather is getting colder in many parts of the country. There's nothing like a warm bowl of soup whe you've been out in the cold. Soup is something that all cultures make. There are cold soups, Vichycoise for instance whe the weather is cold but I htink nothing beats hot soup on a cold day.

Everyone has heard the childrens nursery rhyme, "Peas, porridge hot, pease porridge cold peas, porridge in a pot , nine days old. In olden days the main meal was whatever was in the pot on the fire. Peas, porridge (cereal type food), bits of meat. Everything was thrown into the pot and it cooked away. It would sit there for days as is described in the nursery rhyme.

Soup can be medicinal. I'm sure everyone is familiar with the curative value of chicken soup. A whole chicken, cut into pieces,is put into a pot along with parsnips, carrots, dill and if so desired dumplings made from matzoh, called matzoh balls. Noodles could also be added. That's the basic Jewish chicken soup. There are of course, Italian variations and all Amercian variations. Old grandmas would put this together on a regular basis and if you were sick it was a must have. Many physicians feel there is merit to the curing powers of a nice bowl of hot chicken soup. For those who don't have the time or inclination to whip up a chicken soup there are always the canned varieties. Campbell's chicken noodle soup being quite good.

I don't know what cannibals called it but we've all seen movies or cartoons with people being put in a cauldron as punishment or as a main course.

Soup can be made with so little. Stone soup is another old tale that has been told forever. A soup made out of rocks. As kids we read this story with amazement. Nowadays, you go to your local supermarket and there are boullion cubes in chicken or beef, soup base in jars in chicken or beef, cartons of stock in fish, vegetable, beef orchicken and cans and cans of soups in heart healthy or low salt as well as regular flavors.

Soup is super (no pun intended) for curbing your appetite if your dieting. Just stay away from heavy,creamy soup or subsitute cream with low fat milk .