My Favorite Recipe
My favorite recipe is actually a folktale, and I’m cooking it for lunch.
Have you heard the story of Stone Soup? It’s an old tale, and I’ve seen a few versions, but I’ll retell it here.
***
Late one afternoon, a traveler comes upon a small village. He is weary, and hungry, and asks for a meal. In some tellings, the villagers are stingy and refuse to share their food, but in the version I prefer, they are simply poor. No one has a full evening meal for their own family, let alone enough to share.
“Very well then,” says the traveler, “I’ll make myself some stone soup. In fact, I’ll make enough for everyone! Can someone loan me a large pot?” And he walks to the river and carefully selects a smooth, round stone.
The villagers aren’t sure what to make of this, but they bring an enormous cook pot, and at the stranger’s request, they help him set it up over a fire pit and build a fire. He puts the stone into the pot along with some water from the well, and soon it is simmering.
“Will this really turn into soup?” asks one of the village children.
“Of course!” says the traveler. Then he adds, “Mind you, it would be better with a bit of salt." The villagers laugh and one says, “I can spare you a few spoonfuls of salt.”
