Stone Soup

Stone Soup

Ingredients:
1 stone, such as a smooth granite or basalt, 3" to 4" in diameter, scrubbed clean
4 quarts Basic Vegetable Broth, Two-for-One Chicken Stock, Two-for-One Beef Stock, or water
10 cups chopped vegetables such as potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, or celery

Directions:
Salt and ground black pepper
Chopped herbs
Shredded cheese
PLACE the stone in the pot. Add the broth, stock, or water and bring to a boil. Reduce
the heat to a simmer, add the vegetables as guests arrive, and cover. Cook until all of
the vegetables are fork-tender, the “magic moment” when the soup comes together and
all the vegetables are done, between 1 and 2 hours.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and invite guests to
sprinkle on herbs and cheese.
THE STONE SOUP STORY
There are many versions of the Stone Soup story that date back in history. All of them emphasize the point that
people working together can accomplish great things. The following is how the story of Stone Soup was told in the
1905 edition of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, written by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer and published in
England.
Stone Soup, or St. Bernard’s Soup. A beggar asked alms at a lordly
mansion but was told by the servants they had nothing to give him. “Sorry
for it,” said the man, “but will you let me boil a little water to make some
soup of this stone?” This was so novel an idea that the curiosity of the
servants was aroused, and the man was readily furnished with saucepan,
water, and a spoon. In he popped the stone, and he begged for a little salt
and pepper for flavoring. Stirring the water and tasting it, he said it
would be the better for any fragments of meat and any vegetables they
might happen to have. These were supplied, and ultimately he asked for a
little catsup or other sauce. When fully boiled and fit, each of the servants
tasted it, and declared that stone soup was excellent.
Other stories, tell of a poor man who comes into town carrying just a stone. Having been turned down when he
asked for food, he tells the villagers that he will make soup using his stone. He builds a fire, adds the stone to a pot
of water, and declares that an onion would make it taste much better. A villager soon produces it, and then other
vegetables are offered to the soup along with bits of meat, salt, pepper, and other flavorings. After the villagers add
their bits to the soup, he finally offers the soup to them, and they declare that it is excellent. Further stories are based
on the same idea. In a Scandinavian version, nails are used instead of the stone. In an Estonian version, an axe is the
magic ingredient that turns water into soup.
bread
COUNTRY HEARTH BREAD
BREADS LIKE THIS WERE HISTORICALLY BAKED ON FLAT STONES OVER AN OPEN FIRE. OF
COURSE, IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE AN OUTDOOR BRICK OVEN, GO FOR IT! THIS IS
A LARGE FREE-FORM LOAF WITH AN EARTHY WHEAT FLAVOR.
Makes 1 large loaf