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Summer's Last Hurrah - A Sweet and Tangy Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
The Best Homemade Tomato Soup
The Trip Down Memory Lane
September 2008: On this last day of summer in southeastern Pennsylvania, with its delightfully cool temperature and cloudless sky, making homemade tomato soup is the perfect way to celebrate the memories, sounds, and scents of the summer seasons, present and past, as they fade into autumn.
I learned to make this outstanding sweet and tangy tomato soup from my friend and neighbor, Joleen, many years ago, when our children were young and our large gardens overflowed with tomatoes at the end of summer.
The distinctive late-summer fragrance of this tomato soup always reminds me of those early days of camaraderie in Joleen's old-fashioned kitchen. Toddlers would be playing in the cupboards, some good bluegrass would be finding its way into the kitchen from the living room stereo (yes, those were the vinyl days), and Tom, Joleen's husband, would be in the kitchen with us, jarring honey brought in from the beehives in the back forty.
A Patient Soup Lover
That Was Then, This Is Now
Today, I make tomato soup with my big old dog patiently lying on the kitchen floor, and I listen to the radio for news and commentary. But Joleen and those magical days are in my thoughts.
My head is full of the contrast between yesterday and today. Yesterday there were toddlers and bluegrass, today there are a big Goldie dog lying on the floor, and news and talk on the radio.
Making tomato soup is a time for reflection. With anticipation of the relaxing and mindless stirring of the pot to come, where thoughts can swirl to anywhere, I say a silent prayer of thanks for the soup soon to be in the pot and the joy of making it.
Let's Get On with the Recipe
Prepare yourself for being in the kitchen for most of the day with this recipe. If you are an instant-gratification person, you may want to team up with a friend who is not, or open up a can of condensed tomato soup and call it a day!
This is a two-part recipe. In the first part, you will be making the soup base; in the second, the soup itself.
My Vintage Foley Food Mill
Tools and Gadgets You Will Need
- Foley food mill
- 8-Quart (or larger) heavy soup pot
- OXO one-quart measuring cup
The Foley food mill The Foley food mill has been a must-have tool in the kitchen for decades. Most folks are familiar with it for making applesauce. Although there may be newer inventions for separating seeds and skins from tomatoes while still retaining the texture of the pulp, the Foley food mill is just too much fun and too invigorating to pass by. Here's hoping that you exercise your arms regularly, because the process of extracting the pulp from the base will give you quite a workout!
The Indispensable OXO Cup
The large soup pot Since you will be working with approximately 5 quarts of raw vegetables, a large soup pot is a must. And the heavier it is, the better, so that the low heat you will be working with distributes evenly throughout the bottom of the pot.
The measuring cup You've heard the expression, "Use the right tool for the right job." As the Foley food mill is the right tool for separating seeds and skins from tomatoes in creating this tomato soup, the OXO one-quart cup is the right tool for measuring both the raw ingredients and the finished product. This smart device lets you read the measurement units from above, rather than from the side, a convenient and safety-conscious feature when handling hot liquids in large amounts. Also, with this lightweight, one-quart size, you'll fill the cup with raw ingredients fewer times and with more accuracy.
OXO Cups for the Kitchen
Fresh Is the Key!
Part 1, Ingredients and Method for Making the Soup Base
If you are fortunate to have a garden brimming with tomatoes, parsley, and onions, and you have whole cloves, black pepper, salt, sugar, corn starch, and butter on hand, then you need do no shopping for the ingredients in this outstanding tomato soup recipe. If you don't have a garden, look to your local farm market for fresh tomatoes, onions, and parsley before heading out to the supermarket. The fresher the ingredients, the better the tomato soup.
- 9 to 10 large tomatoes (or 18 small to medium sized tomatoes), about three quarts sliced
- 6 medium onions, peeled, about 1 and ½ quarts sliced fine
- 8 Tablespoons sugar
- 5 Whole cloves
- 1 Cup whole fresh parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 1 Tablespoon salt
Combine and cook Combine these ingredients and put them in the large soup pot, uncovered, on a very low heat (low or simmer). Soon, liquid will appear at the bottom of the pot. Let the tomatoes and onions break down under this low heat for about an hour, stirring the contents now and again. Cook the base just enough to break down the tomatoes and onions. Do not over-cook.
Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool, covered, for an hour or two, enough time to cool the contents of the pot to less than scalding.
Take a break This is a good time to step out of the house and kitchen, get the mail from the mailbox, drain and walk the dog, or run an errand. When you come back, a heavenly scent will greet you.
Time To Use the Foley Food Mill
Now you are ready for the Foley food mill. Suspend the mill over a very large bowl and ladle or pour about a third of the broken down tomatoes and onions, along with liquid, into the mill. Crank away! Repeat twice more (you don't want so much broken down material that the residue starts to climb up the sides of the mill and fall into the bowl). Every time you think you've had enough, crank a few more turns, until there is less than one cup total of residue left in the mill. These last turns will yield a thick, red pulp.
Return the milled base to the large soup pot.
In a hurry? If you would like to finish the soup another day, you can refrigerate the base for up to two days, or pour it into containers and freeze it for up to three months.
What's New in Food Mills
Part 2, Ingredients and Method for Making the Soup
- 1 Quart plus 1 cup water
- 6 Tablespoons corn starch
- ½ Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Combine the ingredients Make a smooth mixture of 1 cup of the water and the corn starch. Then add the remaining water, the corn starch mix, and the rest of the ingredients to the soup pot containing the soup base.
Slow-cook the soup Simmer, uncovered, until thickened. Stir occasionally and skim away any froth and "skin" that form. The key here is slow cooking, so that the soup does not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot. It will take 1½ to 2 hours of slow cooking to thicken and reduce the soup by about 20% of its volume. You are looking for a slightly thickened texture, not the heavy, thick texture you might be accustomed to.
Yield About 3 quarts of heavenly tomato soup.
Are You Cooking for One?
Don't hesitate to make this recipe just because you usually cook only for yourself. Make the entire recipe, freeze individual-sized portions and follow the reheating method described in What To Do with Leftovers?. Those frozen, thawed, and heated smaller portions make for a convenient and hearty lunch, or dinner, especially when summer is gone and snow is on the ground.
Find more tips for planning and preparing meals for one here.
Did You Know...? A Little Tomato Trivia
- The tomato is the most popular fruit in the world, and yes, it is a fruit, not a vegetable, even though the US Supreme Court ruled the tomato a vegetable in 1893.
- Tomato juice is Ohio's official state beverage.
- A tomato has no cholesterol and is rich in vitamins A and C and the antioxidant lycopene.
- The tomato's scientific name is lycopersicon lycopersicum. Lycopersicum means "wolf peach."
- On average, an American eats 80 pounds of tomatoes per year.
- Almost half the tomatoes in the world are produced in California.
- When tomatoes were first brought to Europe from Mexico, they weren't very popular. That is, until a smart marketing guru hyped them up as aphrodisiacs, and that is why they are called poma amoris by the Italians and pomme d'amour by the French.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this soup as hot as you can stand it. It's the clove in the very hot soup that creates a warm and soothing effect on the back of your throat.
If you like, add fresh sweet corn cut from the cob and thinly sliced raw carrots 15 minutes before finishing.
Pair with grilled Jarlesburg cheese sandwiches on 15-grain bread for a hearty lunch.
What To Do with Leftovers?
Like all good soups, this tomato soup is even better the next day.
If you'd like to freeze the leftovers, you will need to take special care when it's time to thaw and heat them. During freezing, the soup's texture will change from smooth and creamy to somewhat grainy, where the tomato appears to have separated from the liquid.
To restore the original texture, heat the soup on the stove at a low-medium setting and whisk until hot and bubbly.
Can’t Get Enough of the Tomato? Check out these delightful tomato Hubs.
- The History and Lore of the Fabulous Jersey Tomato
A beautiful essay on the most famous of tomatoes. - 5 Ways To Use a Green Tomato
Especially if you have gallons of them on hand. - Why Heirloom Tomatoes? Flavor, Quality, Nutrition, and More
There is a difference! - How To Preserve Summer’s Bounty Quickly
Who says you can't freeze whole, uncooked tomatoes?
Tomato Soup, Love It or Hate It?
People seem to react to tomato soup like they do to cilantro: they either love it or hate it. Until I had Joleen’s sweet and tangy tomato soup, I was among the haters. How about you?
More from Sally's Kitchen
- How To Keep the Sweet in Summers Sweet Corn
- How To Cook the Best Roast Beef Despite Your Fears
- How to Make Quick and Easy Shepherd's Pie Ala France...
- Everything I Know about Russian Dressing
- Stuffed Breast of Veal from Poland
- Cool Bean Salads - 3 Quick and Easy Summer Recipes
- Cincinnati 5 Way Chili Recipe, My Way
Recipes appearing in Sally’s Trove articles are original, having been created and tested in our family kitchens, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
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TurtleDog, thanks for the great comment. Dogs are such a welcome addition in the kitchen, but only when they are well-behaved. :) Wish you had some of this soup in your freezer for heating up on such a cold and dreary day.
Well appreciated post from a fellow Southeastern PA hubber. Keep up the good work. Seriously, I'm hungry for some soup right now. (PS... glad the dog lets you help out around the kitchen...lol...great stuff)
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Dardia, it's definitely worth it. This tomato soup is very different, having a sweetness and also a warmth that settles nicely at the back of the throat. I think if I didn't use a food mill, I'd par-boil the tomatoes to get the skins off, then I'd remove the seeds into a sieve where I could collect the escaping juices. Please give it a try!
I was just looking for my step-father's tomato soup recipe. I haven't found it yet. I may have to try this one. I don't have a foley food mill, so that part will have to be done the hard way but it sounds like it will be worth it.
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Thanks so much, sharmanlow. I really enjoyed taking and selecting the photos. And I guarantee you, this tomato soup is just the best!
what a great hub! i admire the photos you've chosen for this hub as well as the tomato soup recipe! :)
- Author
And I bet your grandmother's old food mill is working as well today as it did when it was made! So glad you enjoyed this Hub.
What a delightful hub full of memories and a good sounding recipe to boot! I still have my grandmother's old food mill. :-)
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TY, Bk...I'll bet any money you've got fresh tomats in Brooklyn at this time of year, from someone's market. If not, let me know. I'd love to be that supplier!
Wow! I wish I had this right now during this blazing heatwave in NYC. What a great recipe. When I venture out again I'll look for some great tomatoes - this would be soooo satisfying and a canned soup just won't do it.
I'll happily bookmark this - and rated up of course and more! Yay!
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Nevada, I am thrilled for you about the tomatoes! Good idea to have a party for making this soup. Extra hands and hearts are always so welcome in the kitchen, aren't they?
I'm going to have to use this recipe and see how it turns out. Will have to have my daughter and 2 grand daughters to help though. Sounds like it will be fun! I actually grew a bunch of tomato plants this year that look marvelous! This is the first year I was successful at growing anything. I do not have a green thumb!
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I would find it so interesting to taste the soup you make with tomatoes from the south of France, Iphigenia. I imagine your soup will be a little different from mine, just as one type of wine takes on different characteristics depending on where its grapes are grown.
Well, it's now April 2009 and summer's on the way. We have had a lovely hot day here in the south of France and summer soups are on my mind. I love tomato soup and shall be trying this recipe soon. I'll get Easter over with first !
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This soup has such a history. I learned about it when my neighbors and I had a garden we shared. We no longer have this garden, but I can find fresh tomatoes at my local farmer's market. Yes, home grown is the best. Thank you so much for your comments. I hope you try it next summer.
This sounds so good. I would think that to keep such great flavor, fresh home grown would be the best. I can't wait for next summer !
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Thank you, Leisa! If you decide to make this soup, I think you'll get a kick out of the workout your arm gets pushing those tomatoes through the Foley mill. Maybe you could work it into an exercise routine for the kitchen? :)
Best regards, Sally
Gorgious Hub Sally, the images compliment it perfectly. Makes we want to go and whip up a bowl of soup!
I have only ever used my own photos for the most part, but what I liked was you stated that your photos were yours. I had not taken credit for my own photos, so now I am doing that.
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SweetiePie, I think it's important to give credit where it's due, especially when the *where* is me! :) I am so glad you found inspiration here for crediting the photos in your Hubs.
Whenever I use images from elsewhere, not only do I credit the artists, I also send a note or comment of thanks, and include the link to my Hub so they can see how I used their images. Never hurts to encourage a little traffic in this direction!
Best regards, Sally
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Zsuzsy, I am so glad to hear that you use a hand mill, because I'd been wondering if I were the only one, too. Great to have company! Thank you for the kind and thoughtful comments. Best to you always, Sally
I like how you gone to the detail to note each picture taken by yourself and others, way to go! I am now going through all my photos here on Hubpages and noted the ones I have taken, especially since most are mine. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sally! I love soup... whatever kind I love them all but I always find that tomato soup is my favorite. I usually can about 60-70 quart jars of tomato from my garden every year. This past year was the first time ever that I had a couple of jars left over... I thought I was the only person who still used a hand mill.
Great hub as always regards Zsuzsy
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Christoph, I don't quite know where you were going either, but it's always nice to follow along with you. I found your chicken and dumplings recipe, and I can tell you this for sure, that's a comfort food I'm going to be making along with the cooling weather.
Wherever you write, I am your fan.
Sally: I doubt I will be doing a recipe on tomato soup, not that I don't do recipes. As a matter of fact, I do, on another site. I don't like that site nearly as much as hubpages. On the other site, it is just information. Very little creativity. One of the reasons I started doing my recipe's (just 4 so far) is that's the one place you can be a little creative, because it's got to be at least 400 words (and no more than 600) and you've got to fill that space somehow. One of my recipes - Southern Chicken and Dumplings - is by far my most successful article and brings in a lot of traffic. Anyway, to get back on point, I like hubpages because I can do a specific type of writing that I like. (I was going to make a point here, but I'm not sure what. I don't want to mix the two styles, I guess).
Ditto on the fan business. You're some tomato!
And a Dosey Doe to you!
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Christoph, I am a bluegrass babe. So quiet your heart. :)
It's a funny thing about those grape tomatoes. They can come from California, or Chile, or wherever they come from at whatever time of year, and they have a sweet tomato flavor. I guess it's in the grape tomato gene. I so agree with you. In the winter, I don't touch a supposed fresh tomato from the grocer, but I will buy the grape tomatoes.
Will you be writing a Hub about your tomato soup? I'd like that. It would be a little two-step out of your genre, but a welcome addition to the world of food and fine recipes.
Thank you so much for your comments and compliments. I, too, love it when a Hub surprises me by being more than its title suggests.
I love being your fan, and that you are a fan of mine.
Warmest regards (and a martini toast to you), Sally
Sally! A wonderful hub, as usual. And you like bluegrass too! Be still my beating heart! I made tomato soup just two weeks ago, but definitely not as complicated and savory as yours. With delicious homegrown tomatoes you can't go wrong. I consume as many as I can when they're in season, and I will continue to get them until mid-october. When they're not in season, I mostly don't eat them (except for the little grape tomatoes, which for some reason, they can grow commercially AND have them still taste like something).
Your pic's really are good. I take my own when I can which, like you (I got pretty good at during my Ebay years), As pointed out above, I love it when a recipe (or any hub) is so much more than just it's surface. You do this beautifully.
I can't wait to try your recipe. Thank you for the beautiful read!
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Pam, I remember earlier on in the year that you guys were putting up a good-sized garden. I'm sorry to hear that you didn't have an avalanche of tomatoes, but on the other hand, I'm glad you are not buried in red goo!
Whenever I write one of these food Hubs, I always think about your 'agri-culinary' description. This one doesn't meet that criterion exactly, but maybe it does have something to do with 'mechani-culinary'. I had fun with tools and gadgets here.
As always, thanks for your comment!
Your fan, Sally
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talented_ink, you bring a helpful insight to my writings on food subjects. Mostly, a food Hub of mine always contains a recipe (plus elements of what pgrundy calls 'agri-culinary'), but it's also always a reflection. You can feel bad if you want, but you don't have to feel bad on my account. I'm going to use this comment of yours as a reminder to myself to reconsider how I title my food Hubs. Thank you SO much for sharing your observation.
Your fan, Sally
Yum! Sounds great. We didn't have the avalanche of tomatoes I expected, but we got enough to fill up the freezer. I'm looking forward to trying this out and with a grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks!
I feel kinda bad, but I'm always honest. First off, this is a good hub. I like the food of love feel to this, but when I saw the title, I just thought it was going to be a recipe. Glad I stopped by to read and thanks for sharing.
Sally, yes you owe me big time LOL and i love the video*S*, Let me hear from you soon my friend!!!
(((Hugs))) Flying!
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FlyingPanther, how nice to see you! You are such a great cook, I know you'll love making this recipe, and I'll bet you add some of your own magic touches. I owe you an email, big time! Hey, how did you like the video, mon amie?
((hugs)), Sally
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SweetiePie, I do have a studio setup, although not an actual studio. I used to do quite a lot of photography and process my own film and prints as well, and although I don't spend nearly as much time with photography as I did, I do keep this setup for shooting our eBay items, and now for supplementing Hubs. Thank you so much for the compliment!
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Spryte, I'm so glad you get the fuzzies about me and Trish, because we do, too! Now about hanging out with us in the kitchen, just remember that I am always boss. Trish will tell you this herself, and that's why she does all the chopping, the chore I hate the most!
Thank you so much for adding another one of your delightful comments to this Hub.
Sally , As always what a great hub!!! I will surely try this soup and since rebel love tomato soup ,Ill probably making sum for her or we will both work at it LOL.Keep up the great work .
love always, FlyingPanther :)
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Marisue, nobody's ever called my writing savory, but I really like the concept! Please be sure to let me know how you and yours like this soup when you make it. What a great idea about the dipping...does the desire to do that with tomato soup come from childhood? I've never done it, but then, I've got a long history of not liking tomato soup, until this recipe.
Thank you so much for the wonderful compliments. :)
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Susan, I like your spirit. The Foley beats the gym any day. When did going to the gym ever get your freezer loaded with tomato soup?
No matter what I cook, I always have a story running through my head about it. I guess it's the way I learned to cook, alongside friends and family. Many, many good memories.
Thanks so much for the good words!
Great hub with yummy soup. I love the picture you took yourself with the white background. Do you take these in a studio?
Sally :) GMTA! Fortunately my husband is not allergic to onions and unless there is visible evidence, has not realized just how many onions he has actually eaten since we've met. I'm very sly! :)
But yes, he will pick apart everything...and I'm glad you understand this misery.
And thank you so much for the laugh comment! I have to admit when I see the friendship between you and Trish on these hubs...it gives me a warm case of the fuzzies and a sincere wish that I could just hang around in the kitchen with the two of you around. Somehow I think that would be an absolutely wonderful way to spend the day.
Sally! This beautifully written piece is as savory to read as the soup will be to eat. Cloves? all those fresh ingredients - unbelieveably delicious and I am so inspired to set aside a Sunday and prepare it - what a week of mouth-watering dipping and re-heating that would be.
Slurpingly delicious, I can't wait to try it! You have outdone yourself with this one. Each time you write I keep thinking, well, she can't get any better than this, but you do!
What a wonderful hub. I love these kinds of stories...sharing food and recipes with each other always conjures up great stories.
I love tomato soup. I have never worked with a food mill but hey....it doesn't sound too hard...and then...who needs the gym!
Thanks again
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Spryte, I think you have the gift of making everyone and anyone laugh. And your comment knocked my funny bone.
I've been through my share of folks who have special dislikes, and I know what it's like when they pick through a meal looking for something disagreeable to them.
Let me assure you, there is no visible sign of onion in this soup, unless you let some of the milling residue slop over the side of the Foley. Not to mention that there's no taste of onion either. Onion is like garlic...when it's used in the right proportions, it's a flavor enhancer, not a dominant theme. I think that onions and tomatoes have a happy marriage.
Good luck. I hope he's not allergic to onion, because as you can see, this soup has a ratio of tomato to onion 2 to 1.
Here's the good news...you will LOVE the soup, and I think he will too. Just don't tell him what's in it. :)
Mmmm...that sounds so good. I'm a tomato soup lover and am tempted to give this a try. My hubby though hates onions...so I'll have to make this while he's not around so he doesn't see them go into the soup. :) Once it's made...are the onions visible at all?
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MrM, your comment made me laugh out loud...I wonder, if the penalty for receiving foodstuffs is 20 years, then maybe I can combine the Christmas venison in the same package as the tomato soup, and you'll serve the twenty, not the forty if I mailed them in separate packages. That way you could do the 20 and have the tomato soup to make it more bearable. Life is a juggling act, no?
Thank you so much for your kind words. It is always such a pleasure to hear from you.
Warmest regards, S.
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Robie, I feel so good after all the fabulouses you wrote in your comment. Isn't that video a hoot?
For you, there will always be tomato soup in the freezer or fresh on the stove. You may lace yours with all the heavy cream you want. :)
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Trish, thank you so much for your kind words, and for proofing this Hub for me. I so appreciate your eagle eye. This was the first time I worked with the poll capsule, and I didn't know what the character limit was.
You can have all the tomato soup you want, any way you like it!
Your bestest friend, S.
You really have done us a treat. Almost mwilling to risk the Customs Dept prying.
Still I do not think i would be able to cope with 20 years inside, without the benefit of this more than beautiful tomato soup.
I like your warning about heatin g an ordinary tin of soup up.
Great hub. thank you
Fabulous memories, fabulous pix and fabulous recipe. What time is dinner at your house? I'll be right over for some tomato soup LOL. this is just a superbe and satisfying read ST and oooh-la-la le video est superbe aussi. Bravo---oops I guess I mean Brava:-)
My dear friend,,,,
A wonderful hub as always. I hope you still have some frozen for when I come to visit :) I'll have mine with freshly ground pepper, a little salt and a yummy sandwich!
Looking forward to spending a few days together so we can cook up wonderful feel good foods :)
Cute video! Thanks for sharing this nice hub.
Your bestest friend :)
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