Stone Soup And Food Shortage: The Real Story, And Recipe

Here's a bit of sunshine for your day. There's a story that's been going around for generations: and it's the legend of stone soup. I've even included a recipe from someone you'll recognize at the bottom. Enjoy!

Back during the terrible famine at the turn of the century, any food that anyone had or could find was jealously guarded, even from friends and neighbors. Everyone was terrified for their lives, as well as the lives of their children, and survival was on everyone's mind.

Stone soupPhoto byRichelleg

One day, however, a lone man showed up in this little town. The man's clothes were tattered, and the soles of his old boots, which shielded his feet from the uneven road ahead, had newspaper stuffed into them to seal the holes. Townspeople looked out at him through cracked doors, whispering to themselves about the stranger. They wanted him to move on.

"There's not a bite to eat in the whole town," someone shouted from their little cabin. "Better keep moving."

"Oh, I have everything I need," he remarked. "In fact, I was thinking of making some of my precious mother's homemade stone soup to share with all of you." And with that, he took a large pot out of his sack, filled it with water from the town well, and started making a massive fire underneath it.

Starting the soupPhoto byRichelleg

With a rising sense of mistrust and suspicion, the villagers watched him go about his work, hoping he would just respect their desires and get on with it before nightfall. If the old fool didn't reach the next village before it got completely dark, wolves would eat him.

However, the man appeared oblivious, and with excitement, he took out three smooth, unremarkable stones from a beautiful velvet sack and carefully placed each spotless stone into the simmering water.

By now, most of the people had assembled in the village square or were observing from their windows as he carried out his preparations after hearing the rumor of food. The villagers' doubts started to fade as the peddler sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation.

secret ingredientPhoto byRichelleg

"Ahh," the man muttered to himself, "I do enjoy a good stone soup. But, stone soup with cabbage, of course, is simply unbeatable!"

Before long, a reluctant villager appeared, carrying a cabbage that he had hidden beneath his kitchen's floorboards, and gave it to the man. With a smile, he proceeded to cut the cabbage head, recalling his early years and the delicious, aromatic stone soups his mother used to prepare for him, his siblings, and himself.

"Excellent!!!" he said as he completed adding the chopped cabbage to the soup. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef added to it. That stone soup was fit for a king!!!"

The butcher's wife slid away silently. After a short while, she came back with a little bundle of salted meat that she and her husband had been keeping hidden in the cold celler. The friendly stranger grinned at her and said, "Ahhhh, it shall be a feast to remember tonight!!!"

It's coming together!Photo byRichelleg

As the strange man went about preparing the food, enticing villagers with stories of when he was a boy and a similar famine, long before their time, of course, had swept through his neighboring lands, the crowd's mood began to change from suspicion and fear to fascination. Neighbors who hadn't spoken in months started to smile and laugh. A small girl stepped up to the man.

"I really love potatoes!" the young girl exclaimed, beaming at the guy. He cried out, "Potatoes!!!" Why, the most delectable golden potatoes were grown in my grandmother's backyard garden. Naturally, it was she who showed my mother how to prepare stone soup when she was a young child. Grandma would create a stone soup for us all that would equal the feasts of the angels themselves, and we would all assemble at her house every Sunday. We would each bring and contribute one of the ingredients—our favorite, of course."

food to sharePhoto byRichelleg

Suddenly, a little bag of potatoes fell at his feet, and then, as if by magic, more of the villager's hidden food started to materialize. With the smell of the old man's stone soup filling the village square, the hungry people who, not so long ago, looked desperate were now chatting and laughing like old friends, full of hope and warmth that they would soon be sharing a delicious and healthy meal, just like it used to be—possibly even better because they had tasted what it is to do without. Carrots, turnips, onions, sea salt, pepper, herbs, and spices that were once hidden were now all in the pot together.

The townspeople sat down together on stools and blocks of wood, basking in the man's cooking fire and stuffing their bellies multiple times with the flavorful and aromatic soup they had all worked to prepare. Their bodies were buzzing with nutrients and vitamins they had a hard time getting with their hidden food alone.

Stone soup!Photo byRichelleg

The following morning, he left and was never seen or heard from again. However, the residents of the town would get together for reunions long after the famine had passed and share stories of the best soup they had ever had, made from stones and laughter.

And now, the real life recipe, from someone you'll recognize. Don't forget to use extra love, understanding, compassion, and community.

Photo byRichelleg

Stone Soup by Dolly Parton

• Two quarts of low-sodium canned broth or chicken stock
• One pound of chopped and peeled russet potatoes
• One 14 ½-oz can of chopped tomatoes
• One small head of finely chopped cabbage
• One pound of chopped and peeled turnips
• Two big, chopped carrots
• One little onion, finely sliced
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• One smoked ham hock
• One fully cleaned stone (optional)
• Salt
• Pepper

Stone soupPhoto byRichelleg

Stock, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onion, garlic, and the ham hock should all be combined in a big saucepan. Add the stone last. After bringing the saucepan to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the vegetables for about two hours, or until they are soft.

Pull the meat and stone from the bone after removing the ham hock. Cut into ½-inch chunks and put back into the pot. Serve right away after adding salt and pepper to taste.

Photo byRichelleg

Citations:

Campbell, A. (2020, December 17). Dolly Parton's Old-Fashioned Soup Recipe Has A Secret Ingredient You'll Never Guess. Allrecipes. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/dolly-partons-favorite-family-recipes/

History of the Stone Soup Folktale from 1720 to Now, by William Rubel. (2019, August 20). Stone Soup. https://stonesoup.com/about-the-childrens-art-foundation-and-stone-soup-magazine/history-of-the-stone-soup-story-from-1720-to-now/