Mmm Mmmm Good

I remember as a kid reading about Mrs. Pepperpot. One of my favorite memories from that book was the description of "pepper" soup. I've always been a fan of hot food, Indian curry is a favorite of mine. So hearing about a soup made from pepper sounded wonderful! I remember when I was living in Brunei spotting Pepperpot Soup for sale - well, I had to have it! My Dad dutifully purchased it for me, I'd add extra pepper & wolf it down, sweat beading on my forehead from the extra spice I'd added. I was in child heaven, in a way, reinacting a scene from a childhood book.
Well, in the years that followed we left Brunei & moved about, finally ending up in San Diego, California. I'd checked stores now again for Pepperpot soup on the West Coast & never found it. Still, in the back of my mind that delightful hot tasting soup resided, wanting to be found again.
About a year ago I was on vacation in New York, and I was out shopping with a friend. We went to the corner market by his house in Brooklyn, & would you believe it, PEPPERPOT soup was on the shelf. Well, I decided right away that I'd love that for dinner, I bought two cans then & there! I couldn't wait to get it back to the house to heat it up; maybe I'd make some toast with butter to dip in the peppery contents of my bowl, maybe I'd just guzzle the contents down & come back for more right away - I didn't know, I didn't care, I just wanted my bowl right away!
On the stove I watched as the carrots and potatoes swam in the orange broth, almost drooling at the prospect of my peppery dinner. I added some additional pepper, anticipating the beads of perspiration that I would be sweating in a few more minutes. HEAT darn it, HEAT!
As I was settling in to enjoy, my friend asked what was in the damn thing. I smartly answered "pepper!", to which he laughed. So, getting up & walking to the counter, grabbing the can I began to read the ingredients with the purpose of firmly putting him in his place.
Rather than the first ingredient being pepper, carrots, water or even potatoes the first thing I read almost had me hurling right then & there, partly from the ingredient, mostly I think from a childhood memory shattering right then & there in front of me - to the gales of laughter of my uncaring friend I'd read "Beef Tripe".
Sometimes it's just better not knowing...