The great soup debate part 1

The Great Broth - Cream Soup Debates

 

It's really a shame, schools often completely overlook some important events in American History. For example, did you know about the Great Molasses Disaster of 1919 where 21 people were killed in Boston  by a flood of Molasses(1)?

How about that John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed, didn't plant apple trees to spread apples across the country, but to build apple orchards.  These apples weren't for eating, but were for pressing cider.  Cider that was then fermented,  That's right, John Appleseed, moonshiner (2).

Finally what about the great gastronomic debate that paralyzed the kitchen of the famous "Château des Huit Chats Fous" in 1897?  It seems that the owner of the famous Park Avenue (Cleveland) restaurant, Dr. Pseudonymous Such, had a problem(3).  He had just lost his head chef in a horrible cabbage patch incident and now needed to promote one of his other chefs to that position. So he decided on a competition.

Dr. Such called his chefs to his office.  "Gentlemen, I am having supper with the mayor this evening.  You will prepare identical meals with one exception, the soup.  Chef LaVache, you will make a soup based on stock.  Chef Besciamella, you will make a cream based soup.  Dinner will be served promptly at 5."

Thus, the "Debate" began.

Tomorrow, the soups...


There is a little business to discuss:

As "Think Sideways" has developed over the last two months the purpose has evolved.  Originally I wanted to use the blog as a place to do a little writing, maybe about food, also some fiction, etc.  About a month ago the "Editor-in-chief" and I made a decision to take this daily and make it 95% food related.  Today, some changes were made to the front end of the blog to reflect that change.

The blog was also linked to our website www.mytasteoftheday.com.  Right now, the site will just link you right back here, but eventually it will be our e-commerce site.  Our plan to link to Amazon.com as an "Amazon Associates" will not happen.  Here in North Carolina, the state wanted to start collecting sales tax on all transactions and the debate got very heated in 2009.  Looks like the issue has not been resolved, therefore we will not be going in that direction.

So what IS the purpose of the blog?  The purpose is still the same.  I'm doing this to have fun.  If this wasn't fun, I wouldn't be doing it at all.  But it is the start of what I hope will be a larger venture.  Phyllis and I want to cater more.  We do want to open a restaurant.  We do want to open an online store.  But we also realize that we need to start small.

I have been blessed to have known some wonderfully brilliant people over the past 38 years, and I will be leaning on many of you for your ideas, your entrepreneurial spirit, your intelligence, your desire, and your constructive criticism.  This has been a family affair so far, and will continue to be so.

The best piece of advice I've gotten so far has been, "Don't quit your day job."  Believe me, I'm not,  but this is where my passion is.  Join me, let's have fun!

Until tomorrow, I wish you all Peace, Love, and Hollandaise Sauce.




(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood
(2) http://thepauperedchef.com/2009/10/the-case-for-hard-cider.html
(3) obviously not real