Rumford's Soup (Rumfordsche Suppe, also called economy soup)[1][2] was an early effort in scientific nutrition. It was invented by Benjamin Thompson, Reichsgraf von Rumford, circa 1800 and consumed in Munich and greater Bavaria,[2] where he was employed as an advisor to Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. It was used as a ration for the poor,[3][4] for Bavarian workhouses[5] and military workhouses,[6] and prisoners. Count Rumford has been credited in many instances for "establishing the first real soup kitchen."[7]
Rumford's Soup
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.
As a reformatory measure, the Bavarian government intended to institute workhouses for those on welfare. Rumford's charge was to provide the cheapest possible ration that was still a high-calorie, nutritious food. The soup came to be well known among philanthropic-minded people throughout Germany at the time, and Rumford set up his soup kitchens in many German cities.[8]
Rumford's soup was a common base for inexpensive military rations in Central Europe for much of the nineteenth and twentieth century.[5]
Rumford's soup contained equal parts of pearl barley or barley meal and dried peas,[3][9][10] vegetables,[10] four parts potato, salt according to need, and sour beer,[5][10] slowly boiled until thick. The use of potatoes came into use in later versions of the soup.[6] It was typically eaten with bread. It has been stated that Rumford's recipe called for the bread to be served uncooked, and "added just before serving the soup."[9][11] One account describes the soup as being poured atop the bread just prior to serving.[6] Rumford noted that the barley served to significantly thicken the soup and provide a richness to it, and he considered the cereal grain as "the rice of Great Britain."[6] Some versions were composed of cereals, minor amounts of meat and other ingredients.[1] Not noted as particularly tasty, it is palatable with long, slow cooking.
Nutrition
Rumford's Soup was designed to provide a high degree of nutrition at minimal expense.[1] It has been estimated that the soup provided one-third of a person's minimal (daily) nutritional requirements.[12] Rumford's soup is naturally low-fat, with high protein content from the dried peas, and both complex carbohydrates from the potato and barley and simple carbohydrates from the beer. Given the knowledge of the day, it was close to an optimum solution to the problem of creating cheap, nutritious food. Unfortunately, the need for vitamins and trace elements was unknown, but Rumford's soup was sometimes supplemented with corn or herring[5] which supplied adequate vitamin C and vitamin D.
In popular culture
The soup is occasionally served today to illustrate the past, such as at the "Oide Wiesn" historical section of the Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich, meant to recreate Oktoberfest in the "olden days".[13]
^ abcHagemann, G. (2007). Reciprocity and Redistribution: Work and Welfare Reconsidered. 4. Plus-Pisa University Press. p. 222. ISBN978-88-8492-465-0. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^ abWalker, H. (1996). Cooks and Other People. Oxford symposium on food and cookery. Prospect Books. p. 175. ISBN978-0-907325-72-7. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^ abKellogg, D.O.; Baynes, T.S.; Smith, W.R. (1903). The Encyclopædia Britannica: New American supplement. A-ZUY. The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature. Original 9th Ed. in 25 Vols. Werner. p. 673. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^Report from His Majesty's Commissioners for inquiring into the Administration and practical Operation of the Poor Laws: Appendix. F. Foreign Communications. - 1834. - CIV, 722 S., S. 743 - 756. 1834. p. 382. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^ abcdLuxemburg, R.; Hudis, P. (2013). The Complete Works of Rosa Luxemburg, Volume I: Volume I: Economic Writings I. Verso Books. p. 781. ISBN978-1-84467-975-1. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^ abcdDallas, E.S. (1865). Once a Week. Bradbury & Evans. p. 664. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^Bramen, Lisa (December 29, 2010). "Count Rumford and the History of the Soup Kitchen". Smithsonian. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^Wilde, O. (1990). The Woman's World. Source Book Press. p. 280. ISBN9780876810781. Retrieved January 24, 2015. ISSN 0043-7425
^ abPopular Science. Bonnier Corporation. p. 84. Retrieved January 24, 2015. ISSN 0161-7370
^ abcKlingaman, W.K.; Klingaman, N.P. (2013). The Year Without Summer: 1816 and the Volcano That Darkened the World and Changed History. St. Martin's Press. p. 113. ISBN978-0-312-67645-2. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^Popular Science. Bonnier Corporation. November 1884. p. 95. Retrieved January 24, 2015. ISSN 0161-7370
^Wells, R.A.E. (1977). Dearth and Distress in Yorkshire, 1793-1802. Borthwick papers. University of York, Borthwick Institute of Historical Research. p. 21. ISBN978-0-900701-45-0. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
^Wolff, M. (2013). Meet Me in Munich: A Beer Lover's Guide to Oktoberfest. Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated. p. 232. ISBN978-1-62873-510-9. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
Further reading
Lucas, S. (1862). Once a Week: An Illustrated Miscellany of Literature, Art, Science & Popular Information. Bradbury, Evans & Company. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
Walker, H. (1991). Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery, 1990: Feasting and Fasting : Proceedings. Oxford Symposium on food & cookery. Prospect Books. p. 130. ISBN978-0-907325-46-8. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
Gunderson, G.W. (2003). The National School Lunch Program: Background and Development. Nova Science Publishers. pp. 1–2. ISBN978-1-59033-639-7. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
Molnár T. B. & Bittera Dóra: A gróf sparheltja (The count's cooking range). Magyar Nemzet, 23 April 2005.
"On the benefits of thermodynamics". MTA Wigner Fizikai Kutatóközpont Részecske- és Magfizikai Intézet. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
January 07, 2023
rumford, soup, rumfordsche, suppe, also, called, economy, soup, early, effort, scientific, nutrition, invented, benjamin, thompson, reichsgraf, rumford, circa, 1800, consumed, munich, greater, bavaria, where, employed, advisor, charles, theodore, elector, bava. Rumford s Soup Rumfordsche Suppe also called economy soup 1 2 was an early effort in scientific nutrition It was invented by Benjamin Thompson Reichsgraf von Rumford circa 1800 and consumed in Munich and greater Bavaria 2 where he was employed as an advisor to Charles Theodore Elector of Bavaria It was used as a ration for the poor 3 4 for Bavarian workhouses 5 and military workhouses 6 and prisoners Count Rumford has been credited in many instances for establishing the first real soup kitchen 7 Rumford s SoupA 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 TypeSoupRegion or stateMunich and BavariaCreated byBenjamin ThompsonMain ingredientsPearl barley dried yellow peas potatoes beer Media Rumford s SoupAs a reformatory measure the Bavarian government intended to institute workhouses for those on welfare Rumford s charge was to provide the cheapest possible ration that was still a high calorie nutritious food The soup came to be well known among philanthropic minded people throughout Germany at the time and Rumford set up his soup kitchens in many German cities 8 Rumford s soup was a common base for inexpensive military rations in Central Europe for much of the nineteenth and twentieth century 5 Contents 1 Ingredients 2 Nutrition 3 In popular culture 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingIngredients EditRumford s soup contained equal parts of pearl barley or barley meal and dried peas 3 9 10 vegetables 10 four parts potato salt according to need and sour beer 5 10 slowly boiled until thick The use of potatoes came into use in later versions of the soup 6 It was typically eaten with bread It has been stated that Rumford s recipe called for the bread to be served uncooked and added just before serving the soup 9 11 One account describes the soup as being poured atop the bread just prior to serving 6 Rumford noted that the barley served to significantly thicken the soup and provide a richness to it and he considered the cereal grain as the rice of Great Britain 6 Some versions were composed of cereals minor amounts of meat and other ingredients 1 Not noted as particularly tasty it is palatable with long slow cooking Nutrition EditRumford s Soup was designed to provide a high degree of nutrition at minimal expense 1 It has been estimated that the soup provided one third of a person s minimal daily nutritional requirements 12 Rumford s soup is naturally low fat with high protein content from the dried peas and both complex carbohydrates from the potato and barley and simple carbohydrates from the beer Given the knowledge of the day it was close to an optimum solution to the problem of creating cheap nutritious food Unfortunately the need for vitamins and trace elements was unknown but Rumford s soup was sometimes supplemented with corn or herring 5 which supplied adequate vitamin C and vitamin D In popular culture EditThe soup is occasionally served today to illustrate the past such as at the Oide Wiesn historical section of the Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich meant to recreate Oktoberfest in the olden days 13 See also Edit Food portalList of soups List of German soups Peasant foodReferences Edit a b c Hagemann G 2007 Reciprocity and Redistribution Work and Welfare Reconsidered 4 Plus Pisa University Press p 222 ISBN 978 88 8492 465 0 Retrieved January 24 2015 a b Walker H 1996 Cooks and Other People Oxford symposium on food and cookery Prospect Books p 175 ISBN 978 0 907325 72 7 Retrieved January 24 2015 a b Kellogg D O Baynes T S Smith W R 1903 The Encyclopaedia Britannica New American supplement A ZUY The Encyclopaedia Britannica A Dictionary of Arts Sciences and General Literature Original 9th Ed in 25 Vols Werner p 673 Retrieved January 24 2015 Report from His Majesty s Commissioners for inquiring into the Administration and practical Operation of the Poor Laws Appendix F Foreign Communications 1834 CIV 722 S S 743 756 1834 p 382 Retrieved January 24 2015 a b c d Luxemburg R Hudis P 2013 The Complete Works of Rosa Luxemburg Volume I Volume I Economic Writings I Verso Books p 781 ISBN 978 1 84467 975 1 Retrieved January 24 2015 a b c d Dallas E S 1865 Once a Week Bradbury amp Evans p 664 Retrieved January 24 2015 Bramen Lisa December 29 2010 Count Rumford and the History of the Soup Kitchen Smithsonian Retrieved January 24 2015 Wilde O 1990 The Woman s World Source Book Press p 280 ISBN 9780876810781 Retrieved January 24 2015 ISSN 0043 7425 a b Popular Science Bonnier Corporation p 84 Retrieved January 24 2015 ISSN 0161 7370 a b c Klingaman W K Klingaman N P 2013 The Year Without Summer 1816 and the Volcano That Darkened the World and Changed History St Martin s Press p 113 ISBN 978 0 312 67645 2 Retrieved January 24 2015 Popular Science Bonnier Corporation November 1884 p 95 Retrieved January 24 2015 ISSN 0161 7370 Wells R A E 1977 Dearth and Distress in Yorkshire 1793 1802 Borthwick papers University of York Borthwick Institute of Historical Research p 21 ISBN 978 0 900701 45 0 Retrieved January 24 2015 Wolff M 2013 Meet Me in Munich A Beer Lover s Guide to Oktoberfest Skyhorse Publishing Company Incorporated p 232 ISBN 978 1 62873 510 9 Retrieved January 24 2015 Further reading EditLucas S 1862 Once a Week An Illustrated Miscellany of Literature Art Science amp Popular Information Bradbury Evans amp Company Retrieved January 24 2015 Walker H 1991 Oxford Symposium on Food amp Cookery 1990 Feasting and Fasting Proceedings Oxford Symposium on food amp cookery Prospect Books p 130 ISBN 978 0 907325 46 8 Retrieved January 24 2015 Gunderson G W 2003 The National School Lunch Program Background and Development Nova Science Publishers pp 1 2 ISBN 978 1 59033 639 7 Retrieved January 24 2015 Molnar T B amp Bittera Dora A grof sparheltja The count s cooking range Magyar Nemzet 23 April 2005 On the benefits of thermodynamics MTA Wigner Fizikai Kutatokozpont Reszecske es Magfizikai Intezet Retrieved January 24 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rumford 27s Soup amp oldid 1125844007, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
