Published: May 20, 2008 10:47 am            

Culli: Anybody up for some potato soup?

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

Has anyone who cooks out there ever noticed there are some culinary creations that just can’t be made in small batches?

That point was driven home late last week when my 10-year-old asked me to make “some kind of new soup” that he hadn’t tried.

Well, that would be anything other than Ramen noodles. When he was a toddler, he would eat just about anything you put in front of him. Somewhere along the line, he decided to change his personal food pyramid to the pepperoni pizza group, the macaroni and cheese group, the chicken nugget group and the Ramen noodle group, with ice cream added. No additions, no subtractions. Ketchup suddenly became the vegetable of choice.

But during the past year, he has decided he needed to expand his horizons. He has decided he likes tacos. He enjoys going out for Chinese food. Mashed potatoes are a hit. Cheese and crackers — with the right kind of cheese — are enjoyable. He’s even tried cabbage, raw carrots and lettuce. Now, he wants to try soup.

Most of the time I’m cooking for myself and heating something for Caleb. When he asked for soup, I decided to make an old favorite from when Christopher was still at home. Cheddar potato soup used to be something fairly quick. Caleb likes potatoes. Caleb likes cheese. Sounds like a winner.

The only problem is that there is no way to cut my recipe. Even half a recipe makes enough to feed a crowd. But, if Caleb’s willing to try something new, I’ll suck it up and make the soup.

He ate one bowl and said it was “OK,” leaving me with a month’s worth of meals for myself.

I was saved Friday around noon. Kandace hadn’t brought anything for lunch. Don Falcone, our circulation manager, hadn’t brought anything for lunch. I almost jumped at the chance to unload cheesy potato soup.

Luckily, everyone enjoyed it, but I may have created at least one monster. Don made a point of telling me how good the soup was and that Kandace had never brought him lunch. Then he told Jeremy how I was nice enough to bring in food for him and too bad he wasn’t there at noon on Friday.

Jeremy — as his diet wouldn’t have allowed him to partake of cheesy potato soup anyway — showed his jealousy with catty remarks.

Wait until I decide to make chili, lasagna or one of those other items that you can’t make in small batches.

Culli is Register-News associate editor. E-mail her at tesa.culli@register-news.com.

        

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