An Ode to Soup

My love affair with soup has only really taken hold in the last year or so.

‘To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life.’ If T. S. Eliot was correct, these few hundred words may be enough for me.

A beautiful amalgam, soup does not discriminate, all are welcome in its bubbling depths.

This article presents not only my experience with soup, but others too. It contains favourite recipes, serving suggestions and stories… Soup is an umbrella term. Broth, Bisque, chowder, Pho, consommé, bouillon, goulash and pot au feu are all variations on its magic formula. Many of these shall get an airing here. 

My love affair with soup has only really taken hold in the last year or so. It was lockdown and the addition of an enthusiastic accomplice that catapulted me into soup’s warm embrace. Although I’m a huge fan of all soups, the humble root vegetable has a special place in my heart. 

My two star performers are the butternut squash and the courgette. They sounded boring to me for a long time. But with the right additions, they can form a rich and powerful base of any number of delicious soups. 

I won’t provide recipes, but general pointers. Butternut squash/potato/chilli is a favourite, along with courgette/potato/celery. In with that is the obligatory onion, garlic, stock, herbs and spice. I like to roast the vegetables beforehand, but you can also do it all in one pot. As for the blending, a high powered machine will allow for a smooth texture, but any old blender will do. Some do like it chunky. 

Garnish is key. Whether it be croutons, chickpeas, herbs, yoghurt, cheese or chilli, make sure you adorn that soup.

After being introduced to them myself, I have introduced these soups to family and friends. There is something very communal about sharing a soup; bread in the middle, butter on the side, it lends itself to a social occasion. It’s also great for the younger – and older – relatives who might have trouble chewing.

Perkin, York Vision News Editor of yesteryear and well established ‘soup aficionado’, told me that,“It’s amazing how diverse soups can be. You could spend years in a kitchen and never make the same soup twice, if you wanted. I’ve always felt that experimenting with different combinations of food is the best thing about cooking, and soup is one of the easiest things you can experiment with.” His favourite soup? Roast some butternut squash, red onion, leeks, garlic, and a bit of chilli and potato, and blend it with a good stock. 

Alex, another well known soup expert, takes us off in a different direction, “My favourite kind of soup is Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, where a deep and complex broth is key as the rest of the ingredients are fresh. Here’s my favourite recipe for Pho: https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-pho-recipe/

Ellie, a student at Leeds, told me that she likes that “soup is easy to make and rewarding to eat”, but that “it never feels like a full meal.” Maia, a student at York, echoed this point, telling me that “soup is never filling enough! But I do love it… Or do I just love the bread that is with the soup…”

A few comments addressed the place of soup in our collective conscience. David, a resident of Leeds, argued that soup is “massively overrated…” before launching into a tirade, telling me that “anyone who thinks soup is a feature in a meal is a danger to society.” Ollie, a student at Sussex uni, followed along similar lines, telling me that ‘soup is just a bit wet.’ Is the soup drinker perceived as weak? Perhaps its liquidity does not conform with the solidity and toughness of masculinity? Max, a former student at the uni, argued the opposite, telling me that that soup is “generally underappreciated”. For him though, “thin soups like a noodle soup or a broth” always trumps a thick soup. 

Barney, who lives in Germany, told me of his favourite soup, ‘Kurbissuppe’, a German pumpkin soup, while Kuang, who lives in Spain, recommended Carrot and Ginger and pumpkin.

Michael, a resident of Brighton, brought an interesting question to the table. “Soup is the bomb dot com, unless it’s hot outside, then it’s the worst man made creation’. Others felt this way too, but I would disagree. It’s all about selection. On a hot day, go for a gazpacho or a lighter soup. 

And so, soup… We emerged from it, and we shall return to it. It is wonderful, it brings people together, and it is endlessly practical. It divides opinion, but in Britain at least, I don’t think it gets the press it deserves. But, as the world comes lumbering to a halt, as we are finally forced to change, soup will be there, in its simplicity, standing with open arms.