I used to make soup from whatever was in the fridge every time a wind-driven storm blew in. I lived at end of the power lines and electricity disappeared, sometimes for days. I used up meat, veggies, and even cheese that would spoil and fed my family an ever changing version of Stone Soup without per-storm shopping madness!
I now live alone in a civilized area where outages are brief; yet, as the Blizzard of '26 descended, I was craving soup. I started with one very old leek, some celery past its prime, and a package of sprouting carrots. I added some water and a pinch of salt smiling as I thought of Stone Soup. I threw in a packet of frozen veggies, some barley from years ago, and let it simmer.
"Would you like a bit of Stone Soup?" I asked the neighbor wielding his snowblower down my walkway in gratitude for his big orange blower but also because he was the first person I had talked to in more than a day.
"Um, sure." he responded, taking the container hesitantly. I wonder if he knows the story of Stone Soup?
4 comments:
What a perfect day to make Stone Soup - right in the spirit in which the book was written, and to share with real neighbors in a real context. I'll take a bowl!
Anita, what a super idea! I'm loving that this saved your food from spoiling back in the many electrical outages stage of life. And who doesn't love soup on a cold winter day. I make a lot of soup too. You have inspired me to dig into the veggie draw today!
Sounds delicious. My husband was a chef and had never heard of Stone Soup until a local group of children on a trip through the community visited the establishment where he worked and told him about it. I had to get him a copy. Now you have me wanting to make soup. I think I can handle it with my limited cooking skills.
There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter's day. Your neighbor may not know the story, but I am sure he enjoyed your Stone Soup. arjeha
Post a Comment