Rumford's Soup facts for kids
A pot of Rumford’s Soup according to the most basic recipe: pearl barley and dried peas, water, salt and some vinegar. This version has no potatoes.
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| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Munich and Bavaria |
| Created by | Benjamin Thompson |
| Main ingredients | Pearl barley, dried yellow peas, potatoes, beer |
Rumford's Soup (also known as Rumfordsche Suppe or economy soup) was a special kind of soup. It was created around 1800 by a clever scientist named Benjamin Thompson. He was also known as Count Rumford.
Count Rumford worked as an advisor in Bavaria, a region in Germany. He made this soup for people who needed help. It was given to the poor, to people in workhouses, and even to prisoners. Many people say Count Rumford started the very first real soup kitchens.
The government in Bavaria wanted to help people who were struggling. They asked Count Rumford to create a meal that was very cheap but also healthy. It needed to have lots of energy (calories) and good nutrition. Rumford's Soup became famous across Germany. Count Rumford opened soup kitchens in many cities to serve it.
This soup was also a common meal for soldiers in Central Europe. It was used as an inexpensive military ration for a long time.
What Was in Rumford's Soup?
Rumford's Soup usually had equal amounts of pearl barley (or barley flour) and dried peas. It also included vegetables and four parts potato. Salt was added as needed. Sometimes, a little sour beer was used too. All these ingredients were slowly boiled until the soup became thick.
Later versions of the soup started using potatoes. The soup was usually eaten with bread. Some reports say the bread was not cooked. It was added right before the soup was served. One story says the hot soup was poured over the bread.
Count Rumford noted that barley made the soup very thick and rich. He thought barley was as important as rice in other countries. Some versions of the soup also had cereals and small amounts of meat. People said the soup wasn't super tasty, but it became good if cooked slowly for a long time.
How Nutritious Was Rumford's Soup?
Rumford's Soup was made to be very nutritious without costing much money. Experts believe that one serving of this soup gave a person about one-third of the nutrients they needed each day.
The soup was naturally low in fat. It had a lot of protein from the dried peas. It also had complex carbohydrates from potatoes and barley. Simple carbohydrates came from the beer. For the time, it was a great way to make cheap, healthy food.
People back then didn't know much about vitamins or trace elements. But sometimes, Rumford's Soup was served with corn or herring. These foods helped add important vitamin C and vitamin D to the diet.
Rumford's Soup Today
Sometimes, Rumford's Soup is still served today. This helps people understand what life was like in the past. For example, it has been offered at the "Oide Wiesn" section of the Oktoberfest in Munich. This part of the festival tries to show what Oktoberfest was like in "the olden days."
