Refrigerate, reheat, and stir in the salmon.
For large crowds: To economize while maintaining the basic idea of this soup, add other, less expensive types of fresh fish to the salmon.
Profile
Barbara Rice
Chantilly, Virginia
I first met Barbara Rice through a blog post she titled “The Loveliness of Soup Night.” (With her kind permission, I’m sharing some of it with you.)
Her goal: use a casual meal as a way to get the neighbors together. “It’s so easy to lose track of everyone — we’re all busy and not everyone has kids of bonding age.”
Barbara’s first Soup Night was October 2006. “I had lived in the neighborhood for 13 years,” she says, “but there were some people we didn’t know well, some we hardly ever saw. For that first night, I wrote up invitations and my kids and I hand-delivered them to all the neighbors, explaining the idea.” (Barbara and her husband have six children, ranging from 6 to 20.) “That invitation covered three Soup Nights, so I also sent reminders a few days before each one.
“That first night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. People had been very receptive when I gave them invitations, but still I had a moment of anxiety. Turns out, I need not have worried. We had a great time, and now it’s a well-established neighborhood tradition. People send their kids down even if they themselves can’t come! We do it once a month during soup season (usually October to April), and we have 20 or so people. The most we ever had was 40 — that was fun!”
Two of Barbara’s neighbors tell us what it’s like.
Maureen Ruddy has lived in the neighborhood 18 years. Her family and the Rices are original owners in the development. Barbara’s Soup Night, Maureen says, is a “delightful mix of childhood chaos and adult calm. The kids range from preschool to college age, and they create this happy chaos. The kitchen, in contrast, is very orderly and calm. I don’t know how she manages it.
“But even though Barbara’s soups are always fantastic, it’s really not about the food. She has created this lovely way for us all to connect in a community that doesn’t have a natural constituency. There are many people in the neighborhood I don’t know well. Or didn’t. I think that’s pretty common; in the modern world, it’s typical not to know your neighbors. But Soup Night is a wonderful way to bring together diverse people who would not normally hang out together.
“The huge gift from Barbara is that nothing is expected in return. People don’t have to do anything except come and spend time with neighbors. To give something freely with no expectations, this is so rare, and quite extraordinary.”
Jan Bayer and her family have been attending Soup Nights since the beginning. When Barbara first knocked on her door with the invitation, she thought, “Oh, what a nice idea! We keep going,” she adds, “because it’s such a wonderful avenue to catch up with everyone in a friendly way.”
Jan’s two daughters, ages 10 and 13, especially love Soup Night. Jan believes the kids get as much out of the experience as the adults, and her oldest daughter, Jean, confirms it. “It’s fun! You get to meet some other kids you don’t know well. There’s a kids’ table, and the soup is really good. Then after supper we all go down to the basement and tell scary stories. Or play the piano and dance. Or dress up the littler kids in costumes.” Can’t you just see it?
“I’m so grateful to Barbara for doing this,” Jan concludes. “It’s a very nice way to get back to basics.”
In chapter 6 , “Start Your Own Soup Night,” you will find some of Barbara’s tips, learned over the years. Thanks, Barbara, for sharing.
For a recipe from this group, see:
Salmon Chowder
Wild Rice Clam Chowder
Recipe from Albertina’s Restaurant , Portland, Oregon
Serves 6
It’s amazingly good!
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth
1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 bay leaves
3 medium red potatoes, cut
For large crowds: To economize while maintaining the basic idea of this soup, add other, less expensive types of fresh fish to the salmon.
Profile
Barbara Rice
Chantilly, Virginia
I first met Barbara Rice through a blog post she titled “The Loveliness of Soup Night.” (With her kind permission, I’m sharing some of it with you.)
Her goal: use a casual meal as a way to get the neighbors together. “It’s so easy to lose track of everyone — we’re all busy and not everyone has kids of bonding age.”
Barbara’s first Soup Night was October 2006. “I had lived in the neighborhood for 13 years,” she says, “but there were some people we didn’t know well, some we hardly ever saw. For that first night, I wrote up invitations and my kids and I hand-delivered them to all the neighbors, explaining the idea.” (Barbara and her husband have six children, ranging from 6 to 20.) “That invitation covered three Soup Nights, so I also sent reminders a few days before each one.
“That first night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. People had been very receptive when I gave them invitations, but still I had a moment of anxiety. Turns out, I need not have worried. We had a great time, and now it’s a well-established neighborhood tradition. People send their kids down even if they themselves can’t come! We do it once a month during soup season (usually October to April), and we have 20 or so people. The most we ever had was 40 — that was fun!”
Two of Barbara’s neighbors tell us what it’s like.
Maureen Ruddy has lived in the neighborhood 18 years. Her family and the Rices are original owners in the development. Barbara’s Soup Night, Maureen says, is a “delightful mix of childhood chaos and adult calm. The kids range from preschool to college age, and they create this happy chaos. The kitchen, in contrast, is very orderly and calm. I don’t know how she manages it.
“But even though Barbara’s soups are always fantastic, it’s really not about the food. She has created this lovely way for us all to connect in a community that doesn’t have a natural constituency. There are many people in the neighborhood I don’t know well. Or didn’t. I think that’s pretty common; in the modern world, it’s typical not to know your neighbors. But Soup Night is a wonderful way to bring together diverse people who would not normally hang out together.
“The huge gift from Barbara is that nothing is expected in return. People don’t have to do anything except come and spend time with neighbors. To give something freely with no expectations, this is so rare, and quite extraordinary.”
Jan Bayer and her family have been attending Soup Nights since the beginning. When Barbara first knocked on her door with the invitation, she thought, “Oh, what a nice idea! We keep going,” she adds, “because it’s such a wonderful avenue to catch up with everyone in a friendly way.”
Jan’s two daughters, ages 10 and 13, especially love Soup Night. Jan believes the kids get as much out of the experience as the adults, and her oldest daughter, Jean, confirms it. “It’s fun! You get to meet some other kids you don’t know well. There’s a kids’ table, and the soup is really good. Then after supper we all go down to the basement and tell scary stories. Or play the piano and dance. Or dress up the littler kids in costumes.” Can’t you just see it?
“I’m so grateful to Barbara for doing this,” Jan concludes. “It’s a very nice way to get back to basics.”
In chapter 6 , “Start Your Own Soup Night,” you will find some of Barbara’s tips, learned over the years. Thanks, Barbara, for sharing.
For a recipe from this group, see:
Salmon Chowder
Wild Rice Clam Chowder
Recipe from Albertina’s Restaurant , Portland, Oregon
Serves 6
It’s amazingly good!
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth
1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 bay leaves
3 medium red potatoes, cut
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