Tomato Soup
from "The Art of Taste," by Beatrix Rohlsen
Today I made tomato soup for dinner. Mr VE&T loves tomato soup more than almost any other food. He is constantly asking me to make tomato soup. Over the years, I have made many fine bowls of tomato soup. But today I went way back to the original tomato soup. Some couples hear a song come on the radio, and say "Oh, it's our song!" Well, this soup is sorta like "our tomato soup."
We have been together so long that I could practically have called this another noshtalgia post.
We were so young!
Mr VE&T and I met when we both worked at Yahoo! Geez, it was almost 16 years ago that we met. While working at Yahoo! I also met the first vegan people I ever knew (hi Bill! hi Jen!) I was a vegetarian for many years before I ever heard the word vegan or the concept vegan, and my excellent friends at work were loving guides as I started exploring this new idea. Within a year, I was a vegan too.
Right around the time that Mr VE&T and I started "officially" dating, I completed my first Yoga Teachers Training. I had been practicing for about 5 years already, but I was hardly a natural-born yogi. Even after 5 years, I still couldn't touch my toes. I remember being on my mat and staring - dumfounded! - at the lithe young gal next to me who could wrap her hands around her feet. How was that possible!? Ha ha. I'm happy to report that I can now touch my toes.
At that Teachers Training course, all the food was vegan. It was a 16-day course and I ate vegan the whole time. It was such a great experience. By the end, I felt totally amazing. In fact, I had never felt better. All that yoga, all that good eating, and especially that refreshing clean conscience! The woman who cooked for our retreat had a cookbook, and I bought myself a copy. And, that's where this tomato soup recipe comes from.
For me, this soup reminds me of when I was first really learning to cook, when I was first really committing to veganism, and when I was first really committing to Mr. VE&T. So, that's pretty awesome. In fact I featured this recipe in the very first Christmas Cookbooklette that I ever made, in December of 2000. I've made one every year since then! Nowadays I put a lot more effort into my doodles - look how elementary that little drawing is! ha ha.
p.s.
don't miss my
DOODLE GIVEAWAY!
two winners will be chosen on the last day of VeganMoFo
Wow this looks delish! Interesting that it uses tofu, such a creative way to add creaminess! :)
ReplyDeleteI have been doing yoga for a year (bikram style) and I am nowhere near being able to touch my toes!
ReplyDeleteOh, I need to try this one! I love tomato soup, and I've never added silken tofu for creaminess. I've never been limber at all. It's nice to know there's hope for me!
ReplyDeleteThat's so sweet! Certain foods really take me back in time. It nice to have food spark those memories. I can't touch my toes yet, but thanks for giving me hope!
ReplyDeleteYay tomato soup! I'll have to try out your recipe next time I make it.
ReplyDeleteI've always been able to touch my toes but pigeon pose is my nemesis!
Oh yum, I love tomato soup and I love the story behind this tomato soup. It sounds delicious and I love that you've been making it for such a long time.
ReplyDeleteI love the story behind this one Amey and the soup itself sounds super delicious.
ReplyDeleteAw, loved this post! Paul and I have "our spaghetti" with a homemade sauce. He makes the mushrooms. I handle sauce and we're both on noodle duty. :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, it is hard to believe 16 years have passed so quickly! I have all of your cookbooklets in order on my shelf. While I am waiting for something to cook, I will often pull one of the shelf and open up to a random doodle. That always makes me happy :)
ReplyDeleteOh wow! This tomato soup looks delicious. And congratulations on 16 years.
ReplyDeleteI also have a few recipes that I go back to again and again. The first thing I cooked for my partner was a meaty pasta (we weren't vegan when we first met 18 years ago) and I burned it. But I still make a vegan version of that dish occasionally because to me it is real comfort food. The other day though, he confessed to me that compared to the other food I cook now he doesn't like it so much (LOL!)!
The soup looks lovely! I love that there is tofu in it - sometimes I feel like soups don't have enough substance to them and I should be eating something extra with them, so I like it when beans or tofu are snuck in there for an extra punch!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story about your tomato soup! It sounds delicious with al the basil in there.
ReplyDelete