Memphis

They say more songs have been written with the city name "Memphis" than any other city. And little wonder why---it is the epicenter (literally!) for the movers and shakers of the world---including the famous earthquake-prone area in the center of the USA. I had done all the mapquest things to make it smooth sailing for me to get to the Brooks Museum to see their Andy Warhol exhibit of Campbell's Soup Can art. But woe is me---mapquest cannot overcome inattention to details such as the museum is closed on Mondays. (Note to self: If a museum parking lot is empty, do not just assume you got lucky in finding a parking place. It is probably closed.) So I had to settle for a different kind of Campbell Soup Art---that which was on display at the "PigglyWiggly" exhibit at the Pink Palace Museum. But maybe it was more interesting, as I observed two soups from their line of the past century that I do not recall ever seeing on display at my local megamarket. One was Campbell's Oxtail Soup, and the other was Campbell's Mulligatawny Soup. I dutifully recorded those varieties in my digital camera, and eagerly looked them up on the internet at my first opportunity. Turns out, oxtail soup is more often called beeftail soup, and besides the mandatory ingredient from its name, also has large chunks of potatoes and other vegetables. The other big word I found more fascinating. It is from India and literally means "pepper water". Some call it the national soup of India. It is even mentioned in a Seinfold episode with the "Soup Nazi". WIkipedia says it is a thick, spicy, meat soup. I can hardly wait to ask my friend from India for more information regarding recipes for it. So maybe I did not get the culture I would have absorbed if the Brooks Museum had been open, but I did learn some new ethnic cuisine terms! More about Memphis later. Right now, there is thunder and lightning, courtesy of Hurrican Gustav, and I have to shut this sucker down. Adios~!