Chop sufficient carrot to make a half cupful, add two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls of chopped turnip and a half cupful of chopped celery. Put a teaspoonful of sugar in the bottom of a soup kettle; when it browns, add the onion, shake it until the onion is thoroughly browned, then add all the other vegetables and a quart and a pint of cold water; add one tablespoonful of washed rice, one tablespoonful of pearled barley and two tablespoonfuls of peanut butter; cover the saucepan and simmer gently one and a half hours. Strain through a fine sieve, season with salt and stand aside to cool.

This makes an exceedingly agreeable soup for persons suffering from uric acid conditions or rheumatism.

Almost any vegetables in season may be used in place of those mentioned.

Tomato Broth

Two Servings

Cut three solid tomatoes into bits, put them in a saucepan with a blade of mace, a pint of cold water, a half tea-spoonful of salt, and if admissible a dash of pepper. Cover the saucepan and stew gently twenty minutes; strain through a sieve, reheat, add two tablespoonfuls of cream to each feeding and serve at once with croutons.

The French have a fashion of whipping the cream and putting it on top of the soup, which gives it a dainty appearance.