Soup and the Simple Life

As a kid, I daydreamed about venturing out on my own and living like one of the Boxcar Children. Once in a while, I would even grab a handful of Cheerios and stow it in my room as an emergency food supply, just in case I ever needed to pack up and leave on a whim.

But deep down, I knew I didn’t really want to run away. For one, I was a wuss. Also, I had a wonderful childhood. Now that I think objectively about some parts of The Boxcar Children (for instance, that the children must comb through the dump for “treasures” like rusty spoons and cracked cups), it sounds like a pretty meager existence. But I was far too envious of their meals to feel sorry for them. Under the spell of Gertrude Chandler Warner’s pen, even the most basic of foods — brown stew, baked potatoes, bread and butter — sounded positively mouthwatering. For example:

“Onions!” Henry shouted, running up to the kettle. “I do like the smell of onions.”
“I like the turnips best,” said Violet.
Jessie took off the cover carefully and stirred in the salt, and Henry sniffed the brown stew. It was boiling and boiling.
“A ladle, of all things!” cried Henry. “Where did you get it?”
“I found a tin cup in the dump,” said Jessie. “We used a long stick for a handle and tied it to the cup with a piece of wire. It makes a fine ladle.”
She ladled out the stew into plates and bowls and put a spoon in each one.
“Oh, oh!” said Benny. “I am so hungry. I must eat my supper!”
—The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner

I understand, Benny; I love soup too. One of my favorite soups would have been simple enough for the boxcar children to make, if their boxcar had been located nearby the sea.

You only need three ingredients (besides water and seasonings): fish fillets, dried seaweed, and eggs.

Fish and Seaweed Soup
Ingredients
2 or 3 fish fillets (a white fish like sole or tilapia works well)
2-3 eggs, beaten
1 package dried seaweed/nori
a pinch of instant dashi powder (optional) or salt

Directions
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the fish fillets and swirl in a few beaten eggs. Once the eggs and fish look pretty much cooked, rip up a few sheets of nori/seaweed and drop them in until they wilt. Turn off the heat. Season with dashi powder or salt, to taste.

Ladle out a bowl for your supper, and reminisce about those childhood days of wanting nothing more complicated than to be living in a plain boxcar, with your siblings at your side.