“It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without soup or bread in it.” ~M.F.K. Fisher
I’d say this Ms. Fisher was on to something. Soup kinda does add an extra something to a meal. It’s usually served at weddings, fancy affairs, important business meetings, peace accords (I would guess), and usually at my house growing up whenever my mom made grilled cheese sandwiches. Soup was a must with grilled cheese sandwiches.
I mean, can’t you imagine soup being served at most meals at Buckingham Palace, or at the United Nations, or the White House, and at every fancy bistro in Paris.
But then, what does the Queen eat with her soup? Does she have it with a nice grilled cheese sandwich?
Toward the end of World War II, what do you imagine Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill had with their soup? Salads? Pork chops? Fish and chips? I wonder.
And I wonder if it mattered to them what else they did eat or did experience with their soup.
A Whole Food Experience
I have always been a whole-experience-kind-of-eater. Not sure if “whole experience kind of eater” is an actual thing, but it is now. At least on my food blog.
What do I mean by whole-experience?
Yes, Pizza & Doritos…
You know: meat & potatoes, cake & ice cream, eggs & bacon, rice & beans, pizza & Doritos, turkey & dressing, burgers & fries, and so on. Now, these combos aren’t all my choices, but I do have some that are pretty normal (like these) and some that are more my own invention.
Perhaps in another blog post, I’ll share some of my own inventions, but this post is about burgers & fries. Or rather, burger & soup.
Wait, What?
Burger & soup? What in the world?!
Yeah, burger & soup. Why?
First, I should explain that I’m pretty sure I would have never even considered such a food combo a few years ago. But, a few years ago (more than a few, actually, but as usual, I digress…) I started counting calories on a daily basis. Every day, you ask? Not recently of course (see Decemburger, vacation, restaurant week, etc.), but usually, yes. Although I do give myself a regular cheat day on Saturdays.
Making Choices…
When you count calories, you have to make choices. If you eat the entire burger, you may not be able to eat those fries, or the ketchup. If you plan to eat that entire sandwich, you may have to plan to skip the potato chips. Yes, you can maybe have half a sandwich or count out the potato chips (I’ve done that, and yes, it sucks as much as it sounds like it would), but you also learn to be creative in different ways. You eat celery sticks with sandwiches, or sliced cucumbers with your tacos, or mashed cauliflower with your pot roast.
Yep. I’ve done all those things. I don’t know if I’m proud of it, but you know, where I come from is diabetes country. And heart disease nation.
I don’t have diabetes or am even close to fighting diabetes today, so why do I count calories? I’ll explore that in a near future blog post. You’ll understand more soon.
Don’t Be Closed-Tasted
So, burger & soup. Why? Second, why not. I’ve been trying different things the last few years; expanding my food comfort zone being a big one of those things. Counting calories may have added a few other reasons why I have expanded my food comfort zone, but I’ve also always wanted to expand my palate and not be so closed-minded. Or closed-tasted.
How do I define not being closed-tasted? Well, if the sandwich comes with garlic mayonnaise instead of my favorite mustard, I’ll have it that way – with the mayo. If the steak comes with a strange chimichurri sauce, I’ll at least give it a try. If the only dessert available with the special is one that hasn’t ever been my favorite, I’ll at least take a bite. Not always, but more so recently. It doesn’t always work out, but it has worked out more than it hasn’t.
I call these moments food wins.
So again, burger & soup? Yes.
Mosquito Cafe
Mosquito Cafe in Galveston was recommended by a few people as having a great burger. And since everyone knows I love a good burger, and was going to be in Galveston, I added it to the weekend’s food agenda.
I am glad I did! The place itself is really cute, the service was great, and the burger was indeed very, very good! And while I wouldn’t have planned to choose soup as my side, they actually didn’t have fries or onion rings as options. The soup was highly praised by an employee and since it was a somewhat cold night, I decided to give it a try.
With all due respect to the Queen, world peace and Ms. Fisher, I am not a huge soup person. I love a good clam chowder and I always want a nice tomato soup with my grilled cheese sandwich (thanks to my mom, one of my favorite food combos), I don’t usually get the soup. I have passed on the usual soup at the Chinese restaurant and will almost always choose the salad when given the choice.
I Chose the Soup Not (Usually) Taken…
Lucky for me, I was not in closed-tasting mode last week, because I chose the soup over the salad, and it made all the difference. As good as the burger was—and it was really, really good—the soup was just as good.
Made there at Mosquito Cafe, it included rice, big chunks of real chicken and the kind of flavor people think about when they think about a good chicken soup curing what ails you. All that ailed me was that I didn’t ask for more chicken soup, as I for sure could have eaten another bowl.
Chicken Soup & World Peace
It may not be a big deal to others (you know who you are, ordering a side of corn or a baked potato with your burgers…) but for me, it’s a continued journey of trying new things, eating different food combinations, and working on getting invited to those world peace United Nations’ meetings.
No, I am not going to hold my breath waiting for my UN invitation, but I may at least tag them on Instagram to recommend that when they have their next meeting, they serve the best thing I ate last week.
Chicken soup, after all, is good for the soul, which must be good for world peace.
~Elda Eats XO
For more information about visiting Mosquito Cafe in Galveston, Texas, check out their link: http://www.mosquitocafe.com
To contact the United Nations to ask them what soup they’re eating at their next summit, here’s their link: http://www.un.org/en/index.html
Tell the UN that https://www.instagram.com/eldaeats/ sent you. Peace. XO
