Soup's On

Between soup and love, the first is better.
- Old Spanish saying



While many consider soup to be a seasonal item, best enjoyed in colder months while bundled in thick sweaters and socks, I enjoy it year-round. I have gotten comfortable with the odd glances of disbelief at eating a large bowl of soup during eighty-five degree days. To me, comfort is measured by the enjoyment found in simple pleasures, not by stereotypes of how or when something should be indulged. I visit the restaurants that I know will offer me the depth and balance that soup provides, even in the hottest months. I get as excited as a puppy playing with a new toy when I walk into a favorite spot to find that the soup of the day is one of my favorites.

I have zero preference when it comes to consistency. I greedily consume bisques, chowders, purees, broths, and stews alike. French onion soup overpowers the strongest of hangovers. A creamy potato concoction cures a slew of ailments…the common cold, waves of nausea, a broken heart. A spicy tomato bisque is only made more exceptional by the addition of crawfish or shrimp.

And now...the disappointing part. My husband doesn't like soup. Oh, he'll eat it - but it's definitely at the bottom of the long list of things he'll consume. I've always secretly wondered if it's because he feels he's too tough to sip a delicate broth-based soup, or that even a thick stew isn't enough nourishment for such a masculine dude such as himself. (Of course, now my secret is out. Sorry, honey.) I mean, has he not SEEN the Campbell's commercials with Donovan McNabb? If his momma can bring him soup from a can - in front of all his tough guy football buddies - then surely my dear husband should be able to enjoy it.

Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh. Even though it's not his favorite, he always eats his fair share whenever I make it. Especially on a day like today, when it's been raining nonstop for almost 24 hours and the dog's water bowls outside are overflowing with the much-needed precipitation - I have a feeling he'll welcome the vegetable beef soup I have simmering on the stove for lunch. Yesterday, I made pot roast (another rainy day favorite) and we had some left over, so I tossed in some beef broth, peas, onions, carrots, green beans, celery, alphabet pasta, and some seasonings and let it go. In all honesty, it's not the end of the world if he doesn't want it - means there's more for me.

(Photo courtesy of mrbalihai.com)