Rumford Soup:
1 part pearl barley
1 part dried (yellow) peas
4 parts potato
salt according to taste
Old, dark beer
Slowly boil until thick. Eat with dark bread such as pumpernickle.

This soup was so successful that it introduced the potato to Bavaria where it has been a staple food ever since. Graf Von Rumford is also famous for, among other things, inventing the Baked Alaska desert. His day job, so to speak, was a scientist specializing in thermodynamics but he was an 18th century fellow active in many fields. Rather like Benjamin Franklin, except  that Rumford was a Tory. This soup can be quite a conversation piece if you are interested in history or science or the interesting relationship between America and Bavaria.

The wikipedia article on Rumford soup is not very good.
Source(s):
http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/science/science/biography/b-thompson.htm
http://nite-club.com/new.cfm?News_ID=3317

Permalink | Report

My Recipe for Creme of Baked Potato Soup
(adapted from my mothers recipe)

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Celery
1 garlic clove Finely Chopped
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Flour
1 cup milk
1 cup water(substitute milk for creamier soup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cold baked Potatoes (chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)

Saute onions, celery and garlic in a pot with the olive oil on medium heat for a few minutes, make sure you don't brown them, they should be translucent.

Add the butter.
After the butter is melted, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix well.

Heat for 1 minute and then add the milk, stirring continuously.
Add the potatoes and water.
Increase heat and wait until soup boils, stirring occasionally.
Reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve.

Options: Add 1/2 cup of cooked bacon pieces
or 1/2 cup of shredded cheese
Permalink | Report

ok, I make it all from scratch, so first thing,,

Soup Stock

2 medium onions
10 medium carrots, I like to use small to medium carrots for a better flavor
10 medium celery stocks, again small to medium for better flavor

chop the onions, carrots and celery into small pieces, add to 2 liters (1/2 gallon) of water in stock pot and cook on medium heat until the carrots are very soft.  This next step is something I do because I like the flavor and taste, I add one tablespoon of oregano to the stock at this point and then remove the soup  from the heat.  I let it rest for about a half hour, this lets the oregano do it's magic!  use a fine strainer and strain the stock from the ingredients.  Now again what I do for the sake of quality is I put the stock in the fridge over night and let all those flavors meld together.  The next day you will need:

7 to 10 medium potatoes
one cup fresh kernel corn
one cup fresh cream
one tablespoon fresh dill

chop the potatoes in small pieces and add them to the stock, add the corn to the stock, adjust the heat to a med-high temp to get the potatoes cook.  Once the potatoes are soft lower the heat to a low-medium temperature and use a hand held blender and blend the soup until the potatoes and the corn are blended into the soup to a fine texture ( If you end up with some corn pulp after you have blended the soup real good, you can strain it out, I keep it in, for a nice texture, but not all people like that). Now add the cream to the soup as you stir constantly, add the cream slowly to ensure a good fusion, now add the dill and let the soup simmer on a low temp for a few minutes, serve and enjoy.

One other thing that can be done is once the soup is done you can add some small pieces of sausage, like an Italian or my favorite, a sausage with paprika ( to good! ).  I pre-cook the sausage in a pan before I add it to the soup.  Use a non stick pan and cook the sausage at a med temp.  Once the sausage is cooked well enough add it and all of the rendered out juice and fat from the sausage to the soup, flavor, flavor, flavor!  Like I said the sausage is an option, it is very good with or without it!  

Side note, the reason I use the corn is for the starch, as a thickening agent, some people prefer to use powered corn starch, which is fine.  But for me I love the flavor of fresh ingredients, so that is why I use kernel corn.  Another option is when served in the bowl you can add some finely shredded mozzarella cheese or Edam cheese, a nice touch, but not to much!  a small amount is all that is needed!
Source(s):
self experience

Permalink | Report