Marv’s mom believes in the healing powers of soup. Her Chinese herbal soups always take an entire day to stew. Weird soup fumes permeate the kitchen corner of the house including Marv’s room which is right across the hallway. One of the bizarre-sounding soups she made for me after I gave birth to Stephen was peanut and green papaya soup. I never used to like soups but I must have really needed the extra fluids because I couldn’t get enough of it.

In Japan, the most popular soups were always some variation of miso ranging from white to dark. Nagoya, Japan where we lived is famous for the red (aka) miso that we grew to love. Red miso is an acquired taste, though. My friend’s parents who are Tokyoites can’t stand the taste or smell. Marv and I were addicted to Yamamotoya udon noodle soup which comes in a thick red miso base. Yamamotoya noodles are particularly popular in winter when cars and people are lined up for a block or more.

Since moving to Vietnam a year ago, we’ve enjoyed all sorts of soup and to our surprise, we often crave it. My maid says that the perpetually hot weather makes us sweat more so we need more liquid in all forms. The most famous Vietnamese soup is probably pho noodle soup. We’re also able to get other Asian and Western soups, e.g., Thai tom yum goong, minestrone, and beef and tomato soup.

Last week, I made cioppino (Italian seafood soup) and dinner tonight is bun bo hue, Vietnamese hot and spicy beef noodle soup. Slurp.

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Collage of soups mentioned. Scammed off Google Images.