Mock turtle soup facts for kids
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| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Brains and organ meats (calf's head or foot) |
Mock turtle soup is a type of English soup. It was first made in the mid-1700s. People created it to be a cheaper version of green turtle soup.
This soup often uses parts of a calf, like its head or foot. These ingredients help to make the soup taste and feel like real turtle meat.
Contents
What is Mock Turtle Soup?
Mock turtle soup was invented because real turtle soup was very expensive. Green turtle soup was a fancy dish, but not everyone could afford it. So, people came up with a way to make a similar soup using more common ingredients.
The main idea was to copy the texture and flavor of turtle meat. They found that using parts of a calf, such as the head or other organs, could create a similar feel. This made the soup much more affordable for many people.
A Look at Old Recipes
In the 1800s, a recipe collector named Martha Lloyd wrote down a recipe for "Mrs. Fowle's Mock Turtle Soup." This old recipe shows how the soup was made back then.
It called for a large calf's head, which was boiled until tender. Then, small slices of the meat were added to a broth. Other ingredients included Madeira wine, herbs, onions, lemon peel, and even oysters. The soup was often served with small meat balls and hard-boiled egg yolks.
Mock Turtle Soup in Germany
In some parts of Germany, like the Oldenburg and Ammerland regions, mock turtle soup is a traditional dish. It's called Mockturtlesuppe there.
The name "mock turtle" was kept, even in German. This tradition started when the rulers of the Kingdom of Hanover and the Kingdom of Great Britain were the same person. This connection helped the soup become popular in Germany.
Mock Turtle Soup in the United States
While real green sea turtle soup was popular in many countries, American recipes often used other local animals. For example, soup made from snapping turtles is still eaten in some areas.
American mock turtle soup recipes also use different kinds of substitute meats. Instead of just organ meats like in British recipes, American versions often use stewing beef or ground beef. Some recipes even use alligator meat!
The Campbell Soup Company used to make canned mock turtle soup. It was made from calf's head. The famous artist Andy Warhol once said that this soup was his favorite Campbell's soup. Today, a version of the soup is very popular in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is even sold in cans under the name Worthmore's Mock Turtle Soup.
Images for kids
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Mock Turtle
See also
In Spanish: Sopa de tortuga falsa para niños
