A January Haiku
Playing in the snow..
A frosty day in winter..
Mmmmm Good for lunch.
Who can forget the chubby little characters who made soups sound mmmmm good? We had a family of three until my brother was born in the 50's We shared one can of soup. The favorite at our house was Campbell's tomato soup.At that time, we ate it with a piece of bread torn up floating in the bowl. Later on, my kids loved this same soup....only with toasted croutons floating on top. I used to take a few slices of bread and cube them...toss them with real butter in the fry pan and toast them till browned. We had a neighbor who floated grilled cheese sandwiches in the soup and topped it all with a grating of Parmesan cheese. I watched Ina Garten make little toasted croutons with grilled cheese sandwiches and tossed them in some soup.....only hers was homemade tomato soup.
When we had an abundance of tomatoes...my Grandma would make homemade tomato soup. It was involved and she would stand there and push the tomatoes through a strainer and heat some milk...oh it was so much work and none of us liked it like our Campbell's. During the war...we added a can of water to the soup, but later on we added milk, whole milk. I can remember buying a case or two of the soup...I think it was less than 10 cents a can. A very affordable lunch.
Now days...I'm the only one here who likes tomato soup. Sometimes at night...we'll each fix our soup and sit in the living room and have a big mug of soup for a late night snack. I don't usually fix croutons just for me...but once in a while, I will splurge and fix them. Now we have many brands of tomato soup on the grocer's shelves and in a favorite restaurant a delicious basil tomato soup. I have tried to copy that soup to have at home, but I've never been able to make a soup like this restaurant's.After watching Christopher Kimball on Cook's Country just this Sat....he was sampling tomato soups. He said, "Did you know there are no tomatoes in Campbell's Tomato Soup." There is only tomato puree and lots of other ingredients...none of them healthy.He said to look for the soup with tomatoes on the label. Well, Chris, nothing you can say will change my mind...my favorite is still the old familiar Campbell's Tomato Soup.
Balisha
8 comments:
Memories of Campbell's Tomato Soup -- warmed me up just reading about it!
I'm with you...I like the plain ole tomato soup. My guys do like it better if I make it with milk as opposed to water. Of course, grilled cheese is the only sandwich to eat with tomato soup. Thanks for sharing the delightful chubby cheek Campbell's boy. I had forgotten about his happy face!
We grew up with Campbells tomato soup as well, with torn bread floating on top only when my mother was out of saltines. I always made it with grilled cheese for my kids but now they won't go near tomatoes much less soup. I personally like the Healthy Choice soups, I have to watch my salt.
Hope 2013 has started out nicely for you!
XO,
Jane
I like grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup myself.
I've "made" tomato soup by whisking milk into bought tomato sauce or paste. It's not bad, but Campbell's is better. Guess I should have added a bit of salt and pepper. Makes me think of the stories I've heard or read about during the depression: In the cities unemployed, hungry men would go into the cafeterias, get a free mug of hot water, take it to a table, sit down, and then helping themselves to the catsup on the table stirred in some thereby making a warm cup of "tomato soup" for free. I do love Campbell's tomato soup, and I think we have some on the shelf. Sounds good right now. My feet are still cold from taking scraps to the composter just outside the garden door. We still have clumps of snow about and sparkling in the sunshine.
That taste must be ingrained in our minds! I don't like the off-brands- has to be Campbell's! LOL That and a good old grilled cheese sandwich. It was always a Friday meal during Lent in our household. :-) I like shredded cheese in my bowl of soup, BTW.
Right there with everyone
Love tomato soup made with milk, cheese sprinkled on top and grilled cheese sandwich.
All summer I sprinkled my Basil on top and the frost got it before I could put some in the freezer.
My Basil and chives made the soup.
Next Fall I will have a Basil plant in my kitchen. Still have chives, dill, rosemary, cilantro, thyme and mint - they are protected by the deck and trees....
HA! I'm sticking with Campbells, too! : )
It's funny but if I get a day that I can work from home, rather than come into the office, my favorite "treat" lunch is Campbells Tomatoe Soup, little soup crackers, and a boiled egg. I am not sure who started me on boiled eggs with tomatoe soup....probably my grandma. But I always think of them going together the same way most people think of soup and grilled cheese
The soup today is deli chili at the office while reading a few blogs for my break :)
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