The other day I had a terrible bowl of soup. Terrible in so far as to show that the chef didn't care. It tasted like flour. Not to dwell on that negativity, I thought of moments in soup that were truly extraordinary. I think that soup should contain a universe of flavour in the microcosm. A lot to ask out of a bowl, I realize, but there have been moments of transcendence in the experience of soup.
As a chef, I have experienced this in the creation and development of a clear porcini mushroom consommé. I want the taster to have their attention diverted to the experience and not have it as a casual experience waiting for the next course. As a diner, when I was still a vegetarian, my husband arranged for me to have a dinner for a special birthday at Mirlycourtois, a French restaurant in Winnipeg. The chef prepared the stock and soup for the event and the tasting of it gave such joy, I could have cried.
While for some of you, this may seem rather unbalanced. All the same, I am curious as to your moment of soup. Please share in the comments section.
Thanks!
1 comment:
Karen, my most joyous soup-related experience of late has been reading Stone Soup to my kids(with beautiful watercolor illustrations by D.Muth)... I'll run get the lily-buds, I have wood ear mushrooms, I may find the bean curd, snow peas, etc.. Congratulations on your new baby, many good stories, soup-inspired and otherwise, are to come.
On the flip-side, worst soup ever (translated to me as) "alcholic's soup" served to me somewhere near Ankara, Turkey at a dusty stop on a long bus ride. Homesick for some good Canadian hangover food - such as a Garwood Grill mushroom omelette - I eagerly accepted, and was presented, for a few coins, what turned out to be tripe and I don't even want to know what all else in a nasty broth, yuk.
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