Soup Diary 090831

So when did Broccoli Soup join the ranks of old stand-bys? I don't remember it being so common on menus before about ten years ago, but these days it is as ubiquitous as Chicken Noodle and Beef Vegetable. More often than not it's actually Broccoli Cheddar as opposed to the more straightforward Cream of Broccoli, but it does seem to be available almost everywhere. I'm not complaining-- I don't think I've ever had a bad cup of Broccoli soup, though I certainly have suffered through some crummy Chicken Noodle. But by the same token, I don't think I've ever had an outstanding bowl of the stuff either, which means I generally only order it if there are no other options, or if the only other option is something involving clams or oysters or such. The cup I had the other night was perfectly fine and of the "cream" as opposed to "cheddar" variety. I guess that's why it's become a standby: it's hard to mess up. I just hope that some day I come across a variation that knocks my socks off.