Soup Sundays...

Recently I wrote about making soup each weekend for our friend Bob who is in his last days on this earth.  It is hard to really put words to the humble honor I feel each Saturday as I plan and prepare soup to share with him the next day.  It has become a bit of a rhythm, an anchor to my weekends and will forever remain in my heart as an act of remembrance for him each spring.  I have found inspiration in Janet Reich Elsbach's book Extra Helping and thought it might be nice to share with you all the various recipes I have made for him thus far.  Each week I add a topping or two for the soups like shredded parmesan cheese or some roasted veg for the side along with some homemade biscuits or bread.  I try to tuck in a jar of something as well like canned peaches from last summer or some jam to top the biscuits with.  Here is my currant favorite biscuit recipe.  The opportunity each week to think about what I would like to share with Bob, to check in on him and see how he is faring between our meetings at mass and the act of making something of sustainable for someone has been central for me throughout this spring and lenten season.  Each week in mass, I catch myself watching Bob as he sits in the front pew seemingly fully captivated by the incredible music of the gospel choir. Many of those songs had already held special meaning for me but are taking on a whole new life as I see him singing along.

March 3, 2019 ~ Sausage and Veg Soup
     This was definitely a wing it, kitchen sink type soup.  I started with sautéing onions and adding veggies like carrots, celery, and yam.  I let this all soften a bit and added some turkey sausage and chicken broth.  I think I even tossed in some white beans just to add a bit of heft for this man that is getting leaner by the day and needs every ounce of added calorie for strength.  This is a typical soup  we eat all winter long around here.  After learning that the "chunky" nature of this soup might be a bit difficult for Bob to get down (throat cancer you are a bitch) you will see I have moved onto softer and puree style soups for him henceforth.

March 10, 2019 ~ New England Bob's Barnacle Bisque
    See the last post for full details on this soup, but suffice it to say you can see I need to enlist Bob to create names for all of my made up soups.  I love the flair he named this one with.

March 17, 2019 ~ Irish Carrot and Potato Puree 
     Today was St Patrick's Day so I went with the theme and shared with Bob how when my girls were very young we were treated with a trip to Ireland with my family.  As I was on one of my very first ever international trips AND I was traveling with a 6 year old and 1 1/2 year old, I remember very little of the vacation other than how in love I was with the incredible vegetable puree soups I feasted on most days.  I was a strict vegetarian back in those days so no Guinness Stew for me.  Sharing a bit of the back story on what I included or why with Bob has become part of my routine.

March 24, 2019 ~ Chicken Congee
   I landed on this choice for two reasons; Bob has started passing items on to me when I deliver the soup on to him each Sunday, notably the book The Art of Eating my MFK Fisher, some beautiful prayer cards, a few pieces of his china dishes and some pantry items like olive oil, rice, couscous and honey.  I had also recently landed on the book Extra Helping and when I spotted the Congee recipe I knew I would use the rice he passed on to make chicken and mushroom congee for him.

March 31, 2019 ~ Red Lentil and Veg
   This soup is another standard in our rotation at home, which though simple, felt so right to share.  I like the idea of sharing a meal with him that we eat on a very regular basis, I am not a fancy cook.  This soup is very similar to the sausage and veg soup but using red lentils rather than meat and adding a jar of canned tomatoes.

April 7, 2019 ~ Butternut Squash Soup
   Bob has commented online recently how he is really battling nausea lately and so I am hoping a smooth soft butternut squash puree will fit the bill this week.  This recipe is another standard of ours that comes from the Seattle Junior League cookbook, Simply Classic.  This soup, I swear will turn even the biggest squash hater around into a lover.

Sadly, today when delivering a fresh batch of soup, applesauce, fresh eggs and bread to Bob he informed me this would be the last week for our little exchange.  He is barely able to take in food at this point due to extreme pain and keeping anything down with the strong nausea is increasingly rare.  He has lost so much weight, he's trying to hold onto his currant 130 pounds to make it to his Celebration of Life gathering next month.  If you are the prayerful kind, send one his way please... for peace of heart and comfort of body.  Thank you.