"basilisk" > wrote in message
...

> Mother and Grandmother never really planned soups did they?
> The soups and stews were just amalgams of whatever were available
> at the moment.

Yes, that how it was when I grew up and how it is now. In grandma's day
and mum's early days it was whatever was available in the garden, for me
I use up what's left over in the fridge

Not many of my my recipes are the same twice

> Traditionally chicken soup here would contain: carrots, onions and
> not quite so much celery, and would be thickened with
> cornstarch/flour.
> It would also have elbow macaroni added in most cases.
>
> In an effort to keep the carbs down the carrots, thickening, and
> noodles
> were elinminated.
>
> With the addition of file' (ground sassafras leaves), this could
> easily be
> considered a
> chicken gumbo.