by jennifer hetrick
“how do i love soup ? let me count the ways,” says new hanover township resident terry schwenk, soup aficionado through his heartful broth spillings.
today, schwenk spends each spring and summer delivering mulch, topsoil, and stone to residents around the region through hetrick gardens. every autumn, he runs a tree installation crew.
but winter is when he spends his minutes at the stove, happily whipping up his cherished soups for not just his family to enjoy but also for his fans at freed’s supermarket in gilbertsville, where he buys a large portion of his ingredients.
anyone who knows schwenk is up to prepping soup nudges kindly in expectance for a bowl of it to savor.
schwenk developed a strong respect for the western soup spoon (and even ordinary dinner spoons, when soup-specific ones weren’t on hand) in his childhood. with nine sisters and two brothers, the full pennsylvania dutch background of his parents led to soups serving as a more economical and iconic food-memory for when bellies in the house threw around the language of hunger-growling.
his mother taught him the art of whipping up a delightful, palate-hugging soup, including a chicken pot pie recipe he refuses to share with his sisters, even to this day.
when schwenk prepares vegetable soup at his stove, it takes a full eight-hour day to simmer the garden-rich medley just right. taking his food-love very seriously, schwenk doesn’t joke, when it comes to soups, till they’re done and ready to slurp up in a heightened mode of deliciousness.
sauerkraut, cabbage, a ukranian-inspired red beet joined with sour cream, chicken corn noodle, mushroom, split pea, ham and bean, and beef barley are a few of the warm soups he sometimes stirs up in his kitchen.
a family favorite is one that goes by the moniker of hobo stew; it mingles smoked sausage, kidney beans, and potatoes for when taste buds are ready to waltz for this hearty blend.
with cold spooning efforts per bowl, schwenk crafts a delectable red beet, cucumber, tomato, and acorn squash soup in the warmer seasons.
and soup isn’t even worth making unless the broth is done from scratch, in small steps that don’t necessarily take up a lot of time in the busy world of everyone’s lives today. to schwenk, minutes spent preparing soup equate to a bit of peace before glorious and comforting spoonfuls meet with lips.
and the introduction of winter implies that belly-warming soups are in order, which means the creamy seafood chowder he’s perfected over time is something friends and family easily show up at his door for, when they’ve heard the word that he’s making it.
soup is meant to be enjoyed both at the table and as the wooden spoon stirs, schwenk concludes.
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skeeter’s seafood chowder -- recipe by terry schwenk
ingredients:
6 lg. clams, steamed & chopped
24 steamer clams, steamed & removed from shells
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled & cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb scallops, peeled & cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb calamari, cut into rings (optional)
4 oz crabmeat
4 tbs unsalted butter
4 tbs flour
1 small can condensed milk
4 cups whole milk
4 cups water
1 12 oz lager
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled & diced
1 can white corn
old bay seasoning (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
instructions:
steam clams in lager. reserve liquid. strain broth to remove sand and shells. in 6 quart pot, add clam broth, potatoes, corn, and water. boil until potatoes are close to done. add shrimp, scallops, and calamari when the soup comes to a boil. combine condensed milk with flour, then add to the soup. add whole milk. carefully bring to a slow simmer till the soup thickens, approximately 10 minutes. be watchful not to overcook the seafood. add clams and crabmeat. season, and enjoy.
yield: about a half-gallon.
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