Soup of the Seventies
In general, I like the idea of soup more than the reality.
I don't like the word "soup" for starters. I don't know why not, I just hate it, it makes me cringe and sets my teeth on edge. Ughhhhhhhhh.
As for the real thing, though, I like home-made chicken broth with barley and vegetables, just like my Grandma used to make. I like onion soup. I like most vegetable soup. I quite like tomato soup.
But that's it really. Fish soup? That's just wrong, somehow. It's as if the fish were still alive and swimming around - - but they're not, they're dead and in pieces. Horrible idea.
But - - and it's True Confession time now - - I like this soup, below. Instant packet soup!
Many years ago - - well, in about 1970 I suppose - the school I was at had a minor revolution and leapt forward into the twentieth century with a hot drinks machine.
As with all schools of the time, everything was always a bit chilly because the buildings were big and the heating was inefficient.
So a hot drinks machine at break was just bliss. Some days we had hot chocolate, and some days we had soup.
Last week, when I was waiting in the garage for my car to have its MOT and service, I found the hot drinks machine. Then I saw that the machine sold hot chocolate and chicken soup.
And I could just tell that it was the identical soup mix invented in those we-love-E-numbers days of the Seventies. Even the plastic cups were identical. It was a Time Warp Hot Drinks Machine.
So I lavished 30p on a cup of it and it was like a journey back to Roundhay High School break, circa 1970. As soon as I smelled it I thought I was back on a parquet floor with double Domestic Science for the rest of the morning.
When I tasted it I thought of the French test the next day, and thought I'd better get working on the imperfect tense.
It was so very evocative. Strange how smells and tastes can take you back to a different time faster than anything else.
I loved it so much that I had a second cup of it, and then I stopped being thirteen and leaped forward nearly forty years to see if my car was ready.
I don't like the word "soup" for starters. I don't know why not, I just hate it, it makes me cringe and sets my teeth on edge. Ughhhhhhhhh.
As for the real thing, though, I like home-made chicken broth with barley and vegetables, just like my Grandma used to make. I like onion soup. I like most vegetable soup. I quite like tomato soup.
But that's it really. Fish soup? That's just wrong, somehow. It's as if the fish were still alive and swimming around - - but they're not, they're dead and in pieces. Horrible idea.
But - - and it's True Confession time now - - I like this soup, below. Instant packet soup!
Many years ago - - well, in about 1970 I suppose - the school I was at had a minor revolution and leapt forward into the twentieth century with a hot drinks machine.As with all schools of the time, everything was always a bit chilly because the buildings were big and the heating was inefficient.
So a hot drinks machine at break was just bliss. Some days we had hot chocolate, and some days we had soup.
Last week, when I was waiting in the garage for my car to have its MOT and service, I found the hot drinks machine. Then I saw that the machine sold hot chocolate and chicken soup.
And I could just tell that it was the identical soup mix invented in those we-love-E-numbers days of the Seventies. Even the plastic cups were identical. It was a Time Warp Hot Drinks Machine.
So I lavished 30p on a cup of it and it was like a journey back to Roundhay High School break, circa 1970. As soon as I smelled it I thought I was back on a parquet floor with double Domestic Science for the rest of the morning.
When I tasted it I thought of the French test the next day, and thought I'd better get working on the imperfect tense.
It was so very evocative. Strange how smells and tastes can take you back to a different time faster than anything else.
I loved it so much that I had a second cup of it, and then I stopped being thirteen and leaped forward nearly forty years to see if my car was ready.
posted by Daphne at 5:22 pm
9 Comments:
I take it the car bill didn't reflect 1970 prices even if the drinks machine and discreet (?) music did ?!
Another lovely piece of writing... taking something so simple and developing an evocative tale around it... Nice one Daphne
Shame on you, shame on you. I can't believe it's really you writing it.
The contents of these packets are made by chemists in a laboratory.
Having made soups at home out of real ingredients for years and years, I could never go back to these E chemical horrors.
A good post though...glad you enjoyed the 'soup'.
this reminds me that "slim a soup", one of the packet soups which apparently makes you less fat, has a label on it saying "his new girl friend is skinner than you soup"
Oh, I remember those "e" soups in plastic cups warming the body and soul on cold days! I loved them and probably would still if I came across them again. And me, living in the cuisine capital! Lovely post.
Ooh yes, and how about Cupasoup (not sure about the spelling) - made totally from e-number additives!
No, sorry, I think I meant pot noodles. ;)
if they have a space invaders machine as well then I'm right round there daphne
Oh how wonderful! I love when something takes me back to the past for a visit.
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