Soup for the Soul, Chicken or Otherwise

Soup for the Soul, Chicken or Otherwise

 
  I was reading an article in Food & Wine Magazine the other day. In this article, the writer talked of his 'Soup" ritual upon arriving at a new destination airport. On arriving he would seek out the soup that defined that region. His premise was that soup defines the true Soul of the area. The intermingling of ingredients gives insight into that particulars peoples and values. It was a very interesting article.
   It got me thinking about how much soup really makes part of our lives. Then I got to thinking about, just which soup is my favorite, and what others favorites might be?
   See, every family has its own soup that defines it, just like the regions or countries have a standard that defines its family, we have always been defined by my grandmother's Italian Wedding Soup, that perfect mix of unlikely ingredients that have mingled together to produce an elixir to heal all wounds.

     Now, you might say, well that is just chicken soup with extras, and yes you are correct but it also so much more the little meatball made from pork lamb they represent how many cultures can mingle together make such a great family. You see my family isn't Italian. In fact, we are very far from it. We are the ultimate American family, a mixture Irish, Scottish, French, American Indian. A true melting pot that is our great Country.

Chicken Soup

So how did soup become our family standard?

    This is the truly amazing thing. My grandparents had amazing relationships with their Italian neighbors. They shared recipes, and stories and watched families grow and move on in the world. Watched their children become parents and grandparents. Yet, even, as the years moved on, and people moved farther and farther away, you knew you could walk into the kitchen and see Gram fiddling over that pot of soup, that perfect "Melting Pot" that is Italian Wedding Soup. You knew that you could sit down and grab a bowl and listen to another great story, and let all the hustle and bustle that is being grown up, just fall away.

     Grandma has passed, and the world continues to move on. Families grow. Parents have become grandparents. Still, you can walk into any of my families' kitchens, sit and be offered a bowl of soup and a good story. And, maybe, just maybe you can let a simpler time and happy memories take hold of your soul for a little bit.

 

Check out Grandma's Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

 

So, my friends, what is your family soup memory?

 

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