In early December of 1977, food editor Laurin Stamm began a weekly recipe column titled “From the Kitchen of The Cypress House.” The column ran continuously through November of 2000, featuring one or two recipes each week, and totaling more than 1,150 recipes over the 23 years.

Checkout, a current weekly column that features various food stories, events and recipes, looks back at some of the most popular recipes from The Kitchen of the Cypress House, and perhaps a newly discovered one every now and then.

From the Kitchen

of The Cypress House, March 8, 1978:

 

One more weekend of cold weather and I will have run out of hot soup recipes. French onion, cream of mushroom, split pea and vegetable have been mainstays through the winter. This last cold snap, for something a little different to take us into spring, Voila! homemade Cream of Tomato Soup.

 The recipe comes from Mrs. C. O. Ratelle, who shared her special recipe with our family several years ago. We just put off trying it. A big mistake, because the flavor is marvelous and the recipe is easy.

 

Cream

of Tomato Soup

1 large can tomatoes

1 large can evaporated milk

1 can water

3 strips of bacon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 small onion, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped

 

Fry the bacon over a low flame until all grease is rendered; Remove from the pan. Drain and crumble the bacon. Set aside.

Sauté the onion in the bacon drippings until clear; do not brown.

Add the tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes as you stir. Cook over a low flame with lid on until most of the juice is cooked down. Add the soda, stirring constantly.

Add milk and water. Bring to a boil, but do not boil or the soup will curdle. To serve,add the bacon bits and the chopped parsley.

 (If you prefer your soup a little thicker, cut down on the water, or you might try half water, half tomato juice.)

 P.S. Hope you like this one, too, Bobby.