soup bunch

n. a bundle of vegetables and herbs used in the preparation of soup. Subjects: English, Food & Drink

Etymological Note: The English soup bunch is probably a calque of the German term suppenbund. The word suppebund in the 2005 citation is a misspelling. (Thanks to Margaret Marks for the information.)

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Citations: 1883 Waukesha Freeman (Wisc.) (Feb. 1) “Hermann and the Hucksters” p. 12: “How do you sell these soup bunches?” said he, picking up a peck measure full of herbs. 1909 Laurel Ledger (Miss.) (July 8) “Recipes” p. 3: Vegetable Soup—One-half can tomatoes, cupful of navy beans, one onion, one soup bunch. 1925 Harry Harrison Kroll A Comparative Study of Upper and Lower Southern Folk Speech (George Peabody College for Teachers, Tenn.) (Aug.): Soup bunch. Bundle of vegetables. 1992 J.M. Taylor Hoppin’ John’s Lowcountry Cooking (Apr. 1) p. 202: Some cooks throw a “soup bunch” into the pot while the shank boils. Sold in predominately black neighborhood grocery stores, the bunch is an elaborate bouquet garni of mixed vegetables and aromatics for the soup pot. A typical soup bunch includes a carrot, celery, thyme, cabbage, and turnips with their greens. 2003 W.W. Weaver Country Scrapple (Sept. 1) p. 99: Since much of the flavor of rice scrapple is in the boiling stock, you might consider using a traditional Charleston soup bunch. This is a bouquet of herbs and vegetables tied up with string, consisting of parsley, a slice or two of squash, some spring onions or small leeks, a few bay leaves on the stem, and a small parsnip. It is removed when the stock is strained. 2005 Andre Lariviere Georgia Straight (Vancouver, B.C., Can.) (Feb. 3) “Chefs Share Passion For The Ugly But Delectable Celery Root”: “I still hope it’ll become a kitchen staple the way it is in Europe,” he says, noting that produce markets in Germany offer a popular bundle of celery root, carrots, and onions as a suppebund, or “soup bunch.”

Posted 3 May 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend