Food Memories Journal 7

Frigid (adjective)

 Definition:  Having a very cold temperature - cold; frosty; chilly; icy; freezing; glacial.    “A blast of Arctic weather has sent temperatures plunging well below zero in the Denver area and up and down Colorado's Front Range.” I realize that the quote above doesn’t contain the word “frigid” but I think you get the idea.

Situation:
Outdoor temperature - NINE degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-9)

Response:
Make soup!

In my humble opinion, there is nothing on a cold day quite as comforting and inviting as a pot of homemade soup.  (Okay – hot chocolate is a close second.)

My soup memories from childhood are sparse – my mother made noodle soup with butterballs on a regular basis, but sometimes she made cream of wheat dumplings instead of the noodles.  They taste good, but the texture is a little hinky.  On rare occasions mom would make milk noodle soup - hot milk and noodles, a little salt and allspice.  Sounds strange, doesn’t it?  Mom also likes to make beef vegetable soup – which I do NOT like.  This soup consists of boiled beef bones, potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, and tomato sauce with boiled beef on the side for sandwiches. Just yesterday, mom went to the store to find the beef bones, but could not find any.  She was terribly disappointed.  I tried to diplomatically be sympathetic, but she saw right through it.  (Personally, my choice is to go hungry on beef soup night.)

               

            Today, family soup favorites include New England Style Clam Chowder, Split Pea soup, Meatball vegetable soup, Corn Chowder, Chicken and Rice soup, Mean, Green Tortilla Soup, Chicken and Rice Chowder, and of course Beef Chili.  Some of my personal favorites include Taco Soup, Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Winter Vegetable soup, Chicken Chili, and Chicken Tortilla Soup. 

           Yum. I need to plan a soup supper again.