Soup

Lore & Background

Soup has been made since prehistoric times, with the first soups made from grains and herbs; later, legumes, other vegetables, meat, or fish were added. The earliest direct evidence of soup-making dates to the Neolithic period, around 8,000–10,000 years ago. The term 'soup' derives from an unrecorded post-classical Latin verb 'suppare' meaning 'to soak', passing into Old French as 'soupe' meaning a piece of bread soaked in liquid. The earliest recorded use in English of 'sop' dates from 1340, and the word 'soup' appears in English in the 14th century. The ancient conjunction of bread and soup persists in croutons, French onion soup, and bread-based soups like German Schwarzbrotsuppe, Russian Okroshka, and Italian pappa al pomodoro.

Reader's Guide

Soup has evolved over centuries, from prehistoric bone broths to diverse regional cuisines. In Asian countries, soup became a familiar breakfast dish, with miso soup in Japan and ramen documented from the second half of the 19th century. In China, soups such as bird's nest, shark's fin, and snake soup developed. The Oxford Companion to Food notes that soups can stray into the realm of stews, as seen with bouillabaisse and Hungarian goulash. Soup has historically been a primary source of nourishment for poor people, with soup-kitchens providing sustenance in times of hardship from the 16th century Middle East to the Great Depression in the United States. The food writer Harold McGee contrasts soups with sauces, noting that soups are less intensely flavoured and eaten as a food in themselves.

Did You Know?

• The earliest direct evidence of soup-making dates to the Neolithic period, around 8,000–10,000 years ago.
• The earliest known German cookery book, the 'Buoch von guoter spise' (c. 1350), does not contain recipes for soups made with beer and caraway seeds.
• During the Irish famine, chef Alexis Soyer set up a kitchen in Dublin capable of feeding about 8,000 people per day.
• In some regional Chinese cuisines, rat soup is prepared as a specialty, but it is not generally considered the equal of oxtail soup across the country.