M. Porter, Senior Executive, Master of Art, San Jose
Answered Apr 03, 2019
The first soup on record was made in 6000 BC and was made of...hippopotomus. It might seem disgusting but that is what they ate so why not make a soup of it. That is the legacy of soup. Whatever it is the people were doing or needing, soup accomodated. In the 18th century, portable soup was invented.
Why? It was needed in the fields and wherever the people were working or walking. They needed nutrition and soup provided it. They needed it to be transported and so...it was. It was actually prepared by boiling seasoned meat until it became thick and there was a resinous syrup left behind that could be stored after drying. That helped many pioneers overcome starvation during extremely cold or very dry months.
From hippo soup to Cambells soup, soup has evolved as man has. Now you can find it in a can or package or you can even make it the old fashioned way - homemade. You can also find it frozen. Soup can be very processed or organic in nature. It can be added to recipes like green bean casserole or it can be a meal in itself. Soup is amazing.