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Fruit Soups

Fruit Soups are usually served cold-where convenient chilled on ice-in very small china or glass bowls or bouillon cups. With this daintiness of service, however, it may be forgotten or not realised that such soups are not to the stomach mere empty, introductory flourishes, whatever the intent. Fruit soups are foods and as such are used in many countries by even the peasants, though they may lack delicate table appointments. It is true that a fruit may be used which is not of itself substantial (though the opposite may hold, as with prunes) but the sago, arrowroot, or tapioca used for thickening furnishes a certain amount of heat-producing material and where wine is added this is increased, so it may readily be understood why, when used in quantity, such combinations may approach, of themselves "substantial meals" or why, even in small measure, fruit soups with but slight additions of foods containing other balancing elements, may arrive at the right to be chief "dish" of a luncheon or light supper. As a general rule stewed fruit passed through a sieve may have added to it an equal quantity of water and to each pint a heaping teaspoon or scant dessertspoon of sago, arrowroot (for which cornstarch may be substituted) or tapioca. Some instructors give the rule of a level tablespoon of cornstarch to each pint of clear, pressed fruitjuice, which, however, may be slightly diluted. The arrowroot or cornstarch is a quicker process and should be dissolved till smooth in a little cold water, added when the fruit juice is at boiling point, then cooked till clear; meantime adding sugar, and later a tablespoon of lemon juice or wine. If sago or tapioca is used it must be cooked till thoroughly tender and translucent. A fruit soup made of raspberries may serve as example of a lighter fruit soup and the Swedish of those more substantial. See also the Prune, the Apple, etc., or apply as convenience and taste dictate.