On a cold winter’s day, nothing quite beats a warm bowl of soup with your favorite fixins’. It’s hearty, it’s a great source of nutrition, comforting, and to a lot of people, it’s nostalgic. Who of us hasn’t needed a good ol’ pot of chicken noodle as a child when staying home from school with a cold watching The Price is Right? The best part of soup is that most recipes require the simplest, and often most natural, of ingredients. A single bowl of super-green pea soup and you instantly feel one with nature! We like to think that spending time outdoors is actually the true soup for the soul. So, take a peek at some of the tips and tricks of diving into the world of soup this winter season – and, in some cases, how PA’s parks and recreation can lend a helping hand!

Foraging Forays

The first step to creating any soup is gathering the ingredients. Perhaps a quick one-stop shop at the grocery store is all you need – but if you’re looking to get down and dirty for your recipe, take a visit to nature’s very own kitchen. Parks, forests, and natural areas are abound with good earthy eats, and you’d be surprised what edible treasures lie around to make for a delightful soup.

An obvious choice is of the fungi kind. Mushrooms roam the forest floor and up the trunks of trees. Some are delightful for soups. Cream of Mushroom, anyone? But it’s important to know which are safe and which are not. If you’re out foraging and think to yourself, “Can I eat that?” it may be smart to get a second opinion. Our Edible Forest blog gives an introduction to the dos and don’ts of eating from nature. 

If you’re nuts about nuts, this could make for another great item in your soup ingredient repertoire. While you may have some tough competition with the squirrels, acorns are a nutty and earthy flavor that is easy to scavenge and makes for perfect dishes – like acorn soup! Of course, we don’t recommend picking one up off the ground and taking a bite. See how you can process those foraged acorns to be just right for slurping.

Flowers? In soup? Yep, you heard right. While it may not be the most mainstream of soup dishes, flower components can help your broth stand out in a bold way. Squash blossoms? Lilies? The lesser known Nasturtium? All these and more can flower and bloom with aroma and sweetness in any stock. China’s Guangdong is big on flowery soups, especially chilled ones for hot days. Take a peek at some of the other floral-based recipes popularized in China.

Callout

Did You Know? Soup saves lives! Grand Canyon park rangers roam the hiking trails prepared. When they see struggling trail-goers succumbing to the heat, they’ve got a special trick for boosting their immunity and keeping them hydrated. It’s not water – it’s ramen noodles! Salt is the ingredient that saves, so remember that next time you’re packing lunch for your hike.

Market Madness

Sure, our parks are an incredible resource for soup ingredients. But maybe you’re not looking to forage. That’s okay. There’s still a chance to buy ultra-fresh, unprocessed ingredients. Where? A good old-fashioned farmer’s market (many of which take place in or surrounding parks throughout the state). Looking for vegetables that are so fresh they’re still covered in soil? They’ve got it! So sling that reusable tote over your shoulder and write a shopping list – it’s time to head out to the market!

In the corner of Scott Park in Easton is the Easton Farmers Market – the oldest open-air market in the US. You’re bound to find some incredible selections. With over 60 vendors, how could you not? When you’re done at the market, take a stroll along the gorgeous Delaware Canal Trail nearby?

Once spring comes along, you may want to expand your soup palate. Take a trip to the Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park in Philadelphia. The market opens on Saturdays and Sundays, with vendors selling South Asian-specific plants, spices, and other yummy ingredients (plus, they’ve got some of the best ready-made meals you could find!) Want some more market spots? Check out a whole extensive list, courtesy of Visit PA.

Callout

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but they may have gone in your soup! Ever heard of “stone soup”? It’s an old European folktale that tells the story of a group of strangers walking into a town with just a pot filled with water and a stone. Each of the townspeople give the group a small amount of food that they then use to build a big soup for everyone to enjoy. The story can have deeper meanings though when it comes to building a community out of public outdoor space.

So, you’ve got your ingredients. What’s next? Get inspiration, thrift soup cookbooks, find recipes from sites like Bon Appetit, Delish, and more. Maybe even try to make a PA-themed dish! A Philly cheesesteak soup recipe does in fact exist, believe it or not. Maybe you’re a visual learner. IG accounts like Ssssoupssss are just plain aesthetically pleasing. Now… it’s time to get boiling!