Waiter, There’s a Rock in My Soup

The other day as I was making dinner, the Preschooler was rambling on and on about something, so I proceeded to turn the elevator music in my head up to its highest volume.  After a while, he got all up in my face and asked me point blank, “Are you listening to me?”  To which I replied, “I’ll listen to you as soon as you’re quiet.”  (Not one of my Top Ten parenting days.)

Alas, the quiet the never came: “Blah, blah, blah…book…blah, blah, blah… soup…blah, blah, blah…rocks from outside.”  Then he shoved his book, Stone Soup, two inches from my face.  I had recently bought him that book because I remember the story from when I was a kid.  About how a whole village comes together around a common meal.  Someone starts with a pot of rocks and water, and, bit by bit, with everyone’s generosity and cooperation, it evolves into something delicious. 

I also liked the illustrations in this particular version by Jon J Muth, but we hadn’t had the chance to sit down and read it all the way through, yet.

Anyway, the Preschooler was very excited about the prospect of making stone soup.  Since he never likes soup, I figured I’d better indulge him if I wanted to make any progress on that front.  I told him to sit down (quietly) and make a shopping list.  So, he did, diligently copying down the ingredients on each page.  The list seemed long, but I didn’t care because I like quiet.  Plus, I figured we already had most of what we’d need: onions, carrots, celery, maybe a potato or two. 

Here is the list he brought over:

               

Oh, good.  And I cursed that book.  There was a second column, too, with such things as lily buds, lychee nuts, and steamed buns.  But, at least we had the rocks.

The next day, we made a special trip to the Asian market to get supplies.  They were fresh out of cloud ear, taro root, winter melon, and pea pods (WTF?), but I explained that that’s the beauty of stone soup.  You make it with whatever there is, it’s different every time, and it’s always delicious.  God, I thought, I hope I’m right.

Back home, the Preschooler stayed with me throughout the entire cooking process (highly unusual).  We sautéed the onions, ginger, garlic, and carrots in a big pot.  We added, like, 10 cups of water (in case we had to share with the other villagers).  We threw in two well-scrubbed stones the Preschooler picked out, diced yams, shredded cabbage, a can of baby corn, soy sauce, rice wine, loads of salt and pepper, and a bit of cayenne.  We simmered that for a little while, then added noodles and pork dumplings from the market’s handy freezer section.  Then, we added enoki mushrooms and diced tofu.  And when it came off the heat, we stirred in mung bean sprouts.  I was sure there was no freaking way this kid was going to eat this soup. 

BUT HE DID.  I very nearly crapped myself.  He ate three spoonfuls of broth PLUS he fished out a noodle PLUS a baby corn PLUS a piece of tofu.  Tofu.  Who among us here on the Internet even likes tofu?  (He said it looked like cheese but didn’t taste like anything.)  And, I’ll be honest, both Husband and I really enjoyed this soup.  Enough that we said to hell with the rest of this damned village.  No one ever makes soup for us.

That’s the spirit.

Comments

[Ali]

The PreSchooler scares me. That list is amazing! He has better fine motor skills than my college students, and is probably better read.

[Heather]

I am dying over something called "TARD ROOT". How can you not be? Seriously? Tard root? Are you effing kidding me?

I like tofu.

[izzy's mama]

Your preschooler and mine ought to get together. Only a week or so ago, mine was attempting to add stones to our soup. He proclaimed them to be scrupulously clean but I wasn't convinced. Eventually I allowed a smoothed stone to rest briefly in the soup. I couldn't bear the thought of it burbling around in there for too long though.

Oh and wow..my preschooler has just mastered his name.. that list is quite impressive!

[aforkfulofspaghetti]

Fortune favours the brave! I think the Pre-schooler should be encouraged...

[Gillian]

Okay, so that first day may not have been one of your Top Ten parenting days, but the day you made the soup has GOT to be. He'll remember that soup forever!!! So cool.

And I like tofu too.

[Husband]

Heather: I believe it is supposed to be "Taro" Root. Not Retard Root.

[The Yummy Mummy Cooks Gourmet]

I'll listen to you as soon as you're quiet???? Haaa haaa...That is freakin' brilliant! I wonder if my kids will fall for that?

Just a heads up - I mentioned you in yesterdays' blog post because I was talking about the people who work in the Cook's Illustrated test kitchens and I may have IMPLIED (or came right out and said) that you guys are ANAL and then I compared you to mice...which I'm confused about now, and then, I implicated you specifically, but all in a nice way and because I am a fan.

So, if you're pissed, just remember the love...

Kim

[Adele]

Sounds like a tasty soup, though I'm a little confused about why you need the stones.

I keep seeing references to this story. I suppose I should track it down and read it.

[sunny12]

this kid is still in pre-school and can write like that? he has better spelling than me!

[Annie]

That has to be the best post I've read in months.

[Sally]

You're a good mom.

[Alecto]

Exceptional. You've inspired me to use this as a positive metaphor to offset the incredible pain and outrage of a local rant (I'm about to have) about unwillingness to take care of ones neighbors.

[Katrina]

I like tofu.

The ingredient list your son wrote is priceless. I know it's obvious but I had to say it.

[Dad]

My take on the story: Stones were probably a way to increase surface area in cooking vessels being heated over fire so as to control boiling and keep the water from gushing over the side. I can see a small child asking why the stones were in the pot and getting the fable as an answer.

[Belle]

I have to admit that everyone in my family loves Tofu, including my 7 yr old. Kids usually like it because it can be pretty bland. My son cheers when we have tofu.

Cooking with kids is awesome. I find the more they get to help, the more likely they are to eat it.

[cookiecrumb]

Wow, your kid's a good cook.

[Tammy]

CC: Better than me, that's for sure!

Belle: I can see why the blandness of tofu appeals to kids, but adults? I think I tried it too late in my life to appreciate it.

Dad: That's a good theory. I like it.

Katrina: Like tofu? Or merely tolerate it? Here's how you can tell: does it bring a smile to your face?

Alecto: Or...you could dangle the soup in front of their noses and then whip it away real fast. NO SOUP FOR YOU! Why take the high road?

Sally: On some days.

Annie: What a nice thing to say. Thanks!

Sunny12: I know, I always want to spell "bean curd" with a "k".

Adele: My dad posted a scientific reason, but the story itself, in its many variations, starts with someone who has nothing but stones and water to eat. Somebody else comes by who only has carrots, and throws those in. Then somebody brings onions. On and on, until the soup is done and everyone can share. It's so totally unrealistic.

Yummy Mummy: That was a cute post! Anal doesn't even begin to describe the good folks at CI.

Husband: No, actually, I'm pretty sure the book had it down as Retard Root.

Gillian: Like, on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being halva and 10 being chocolate, where would tofu rate?

aforkfulofspaghetti: And so he shall...

izzy's mama: Yeah, as the stones were gurgling away, I was thinking to myself, I hope these stones aren't made of lead or mercury or something.

Heather: If you like tofu so much, why don't you marry it? (I have dibs on tard root.)

Ali: He scares me, too. He's already on chapter 8 of The Omnivore's Dilemma.

[Annemarie]

I loved that book too, but now have an adult's horror at the idea of having to make it. Glad to hear it turned out not-like-poison and that it was actually enjoyable.

[Kalyn]

Very fun post. Many years ago I taught first grade, and we made this soup every year after we read the book. We would hide a small stone in one bowl of soup (praying that the kid who had it wouldn't swallow the stone, giving the parents a reason to sue us.)

BTW, as a former first grade teacher, this is a talented kid you have!

[Mary]

You (and your preschooler) are brilliant! I think making stone soup is a fantastic way to interest the preschooler in reading and apparently since you have the Asian version, to involve him in other cultures. My stone soup book as a kid had things like cabbage and peas and mostly eastern European ingredients in it. Which is probably a good thing because I can't digest tofu. My body revolts against it. I don't really mind.

[Sis]

You let that little guy know that when he comes out here to visit Auntie, he'll get all the retard root he needs for his soup. Aunties are the best.

[Ann]

Ha! I did this with my son too, but fortunately we had an Americanized version of the story with a MUCH shorter shopping list. It's a good Mom thing to do. :-)

[Pam]

Now I want to add a stone the next time I make fridge soup.

[melissa]

"Ali: He scares me, too. He's already on chapter 8 of The Omnivore's Dilemma."

AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[Katrina]

You got me. No, tofu does not bring a smile to my face. Rocks in the soup - that brings a smile.