Saint Mark’s Basilica, Piazza San Marco, Venice
We returned from Italy late last evening, and I can’t wait to share some pictures and stories from our fabulous trip. We absolutely had the greatest time and thoroughly enjoyed the country, the food and the people. Unfortunately, I also came home with a nasty “airplane upper respiratory virus” that I’m nursing with the following cheese soup recipe. I thought I would also pass along this stinky April Fool’s Day story in honor of the day and our trip. If you’ve ever visited the Piazza San Marco or dealt with horse manure, you’ll surely have a good laugh.
Horses on the top of Saint Mark’s Basilica
THE VENETIAN HORSE MYSTERY: The citizens of Venice woke on the morning of April Fool’s Day 1919 to find piles of horse manure deposited throughout the Piazza San Marco, as if a procession of horses had gone through there. This was extremely unusual, since the Piazza is surrounded by canals and not easily accessible to horses. The manure turned out to be the work of the infamous British prankster Horace de Vere Cole, who was honeymooning in Venice. He had transported a load of manure over from the mainland the night before with the help of a gondolier and had then placed it throughout the Piazza. Perhaps he should have been paying more attention to his wife while on honeymoon because, evidently tired by his constant hijinks, she divorced him within a few years. (This gets my vote as the worst wedding day gift ever!)
Fortunately for us, Venice was not the least bit stinky. We had heard that it does become so at times during the summer. The days were sunny but somewhat cool as spring has only just started.
I made one of our favorite soups, Barleycorn’s Cheese Soup, upon our return which warmed us up right away. UPDATE; Recently, I shared it on THV11 as part of National Soup Week.
You can watch that episode HERE.
Barleycorn's Cheese Soup
2015-01-02 11:13:59
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound Velveeta (The 2% can be used, but I prefer the regular.)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup flour (I prefer Wondra.)
- 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Add carrots and onions to the 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a large soup pot; cook over low until tender (approximately 10-15 minutes).
- Pour in the chicken broth and water; boil gently for 10-15 minutes.
- Add one pound of Velveeta which has been cut into chunks (or just pull it off with your hands). Simmer slowly until cheese is melted, stirring frequently.
- Make a paste of the flour and 2/3 cup melted butter and pour it slowly into the simmering liquid. Stir well with a whisk. Simmer at least 15 minutes.
- Serve garnished with croutons, if desired.
Notes
- This makes approximately 3 quarts. It will keep well in the refrigerator for several days. It can be frozen, but I do not think the consistency is as good as it needs to be.
- Option: Add chopped, cooked broccoli and simmer until well blended.
- This supposedly was the recipe used at the Barleycorn's Restaurant chain years ago. I cannot verify that but I can tell you that we love this soup at our house
Dining With Debbie https://diningwithdebbie.net/
Barleycorn’s Cheese Soup from diningwithdebbie.net
This supposedly was the recipe used at the Barleycorn’s Restaurant chain years ago. I cannot verify that but I can tell you that we love this soup at our house.
I’m starting to plan for next year’s trip to Ireland (hopefully). I would love to hear of your hints, suggestions, and experiences.
