{"id":47155,"date":"2019-01-08T11:48:45","date_gmt":"2019-01-08T16:48:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=47155"},"modified":"2024-01-08T13:13:23","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T18:13:23","slug":"for-national-soup-month-3-facts-about-campbells-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/for-national-soup-month-3-facts-about-campbells-soup.html","title":{"rendered":"For National Soup Month: 3 Facts about Campbell\u2019s Soup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article \u2013 to celebrate January being National Soup Month \u2013 Gena Philibert-Ortega searches old newspapers to learn more about the varieties of canned soup Campbell\u2019s has made over the years. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Canned soup is a familiar pantry staple. Besides heating and enjoying it by itself, canned soup can be an ingredient for other recipes, or even \u201cdoctored\u201d to make the soup more flavorful, as in the case of tomato soup with shredded cheddar cheese. January is National Soup Month, so let\u2019s take a look at some facts about a canned soup familiar to most Americans: Campbell\u2019s Soup.<\/p>\n

They Didn\u2019t Start Out Making Soup<\/strong><\/p>\n

Campbell\u2019s was founded in 1869 when fruit merchant Joseph Campbell and icebox manufacturer Abraham Anderson produced tomatoes, jellies, and other canned foods. It wasn\u2019t until 1895 that they sold their first can of soup, a ready-to-eat Beefsteak Tomato soup. (1) In 1897 Dr. John T. Dorrance, nephew of the then-president of Campbell’s, invented the formula for condensed soup and created five varieties including tomato soup. (2)<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: the Joseph Campbell Preserve Co., Camden, New Jersey, 1894. Credit: A. H. Markley (engraver); Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even after Campbell\u2019s became known for soup, they still produced other products including Campbell\u2019s Pork and Beans. In addition, they started acquiring other food brands; their first was Franco-American in 1915. Today, Campbell\u2019s not only produces soups, broths, and sauces, but through their acquisitions they sell organic foods and snacks. (3)<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), 27 April 1958, page 240<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Did Your Ancestors Eat Canned Soup?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s very likely that your American ancestors ate Campbell\u2019s soup or were at least familiar with it. Newspaper advertisements for the soup can be found as early as 1898. More recent generations have used the familiar brand for everything from a meal to combining it with other ingredients to make a casserole (we\u2019ve talked about Green Bean Casserole in a previous article; see Remembering the Inventor of the Green Bean Casserole: Dorcas Reilly<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Newspapers didn\u2019t just feature Campbell\u2019s in advertisements. Readers in 1921 could also take a \u201ctour\u201d of the company. This newspaper story provides the reader with a tour of the Campbell\u2019s factory that reveals how the company functioned and how the soups were made. My favorite part of the article is some of the suggestions for how to eat or serve soup: \u201cIt is an unimaginative woman who looks at her stock of canned soups and sees no possibilities except to \u2018add water and serve\u2019 at dinner time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The article provides a suggestion for serving Campbell\u2019s Mock Turtle Soup: \u201c\u2026add a slice of lemon, a dash of wine, or grape juice and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, and no one will think of a can in its presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The author goes on to say that she also surprisingly enjoys soup for breakfast, claiming that:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut really a hot cup of clear consomme with a bit of toast and fruit is a mild stimulant \u2013 fine for those who fear coffee and who do not want so heavy a beverage as chocolate.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
New-York Daily Tribune (New York, New York), 30 October 1921, page 64<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Soups Come and Go<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1930 Campbell\u2019s featured 21 soups in its repertoire. Today, they produce 10 types of soups (Condensed, Chunky, Healthy Request, etc.) with over 250 varieties. (4)<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri), 21 February 1930, page 25<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What flavors of soup come to mind when you think of Campbell\u2019s? You might respond with the name of one of their most popular soups that have stood the test of time, such as Tomato, maybe Chicken Noodle, or its close cousin, Chicken and Rice. But there are many other flavors to consider, some of which are no longer produced. Consider this 1936 newspaper advertisement from the Evening Star<\/em> which lists 16 \u201cmore famous\u201d soups along with their descriptions. Some of these soups are still popular while others have been discontinued long ago. Those 16 famous soups included: Cream of Mushroom, Beef, Bouillon, Celery, Chicken-Gumbo, Clam Chowder, Consomme, Mock Turtle, Asparagus, Vegetable, Vegetable-Beef, Noodle with Chicken, Ox Tail, Pea, Pepper Pot, and Scotch Broth.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 2 November 1936, page 13<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You may be wondering about Mock Turtle Soup. Turtle Soup was very popular with our Victorian ancestors and \u201cmock turtle\u201d was a version of that, but made with meat from calf’s heads. Campbell\u2019s Mock Turtle Soup \u201cclosely resembles the famous and expensive Green Turtle Soup (thick). Beef broth, tomatoes, celery, herbs, toothsome pieces of meat richly blended with sherry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flavors and their popularity come and go with each successive generation. Tastes change and sales dictate what is sold. Searching GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> for Campbell\u2019s advertisements reveals some interesting flavor combinations, including this 1959 newspaper advertisement for Campbell\u2019s fruit soups. Yes, Campbell\u2019s produced fruit soups that were eaten hot or cold. Flavors were: Orange Fruit Soup with Apricots and White Grapes, Prune Fruit Soup with Oranges and Apricots, and Black Cherry Fruit Soup with Burgundy. Suggestions for serving the Prune Fruit Soup include eating it at breakfast over cereal.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, Washington), 13 January 1959, page 42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mmmm\u2026Mmmm\u2026Good!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Canned soup is almost as American as apple pie and has been part of our family\u2019s food history in the United States for over 100 years. Growing up in my family, the opening of a can of Chicken Noodle Soup was always one of the first signs that someone in the family was sick and needed the \u201chealing properties\u201d that magically came from Chicken Noodle Soup.<\/p>\n

Do you have any special soup memories? Do you have family recipes that use soup for casseroles or other dishes? Let us know in the comments section below.<\/p>\n

___________________<\/p>\n

(1) Shea, Martha E, and Mike Mathis. Campbell Soup Company. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia, 2002.
\n(2) \u201cOur History,\u201d Campbell\u2019s (https:\/\/www.campbellsoupcompany.com\/about-us\/our-story\/campbell-history\/<\/a>: accessed 18 December 2018).
\n(3) Ibid.
\n(4) \u201cHow Many Different Types of Campbell’s Soups Are There?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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