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Julia Child Comes for Lunch Mexican Cheese Soup

by Susan J. Erickson

 

Right up front I want to admit
Julia never came for lunch
and now, of course, she won't,
but if she had:

In butter always, not just for Julia's sake
sauté chopped onion a cup or so
until your tears are dry
and your mouth is watering.
Peel/cube/add potatoes say 6
& salted H2O to cover. Simmer
a little mariachi music, por favor
until potatoes are smashable.

Pour off & save the cooking liquid.
Á la Ms. Child, mash potato mixture
by hand. Add back reserved liquid
& some milk until the soup
is as fluid as imagination.

Now add the colors of the Mexican flag:
cubed queso asadero--or, Monterey Jack--
chopped tomatoes she says to-MAH-tos
& diced green chilies charred over a mesquite fire
& peeled long before the doorbell rings.
Heat gently so the cheese loses its modesty.

Salt & pepper with authority.
Garnish with a fanfare of cilantro. Serve
with crusty bollios & watermelon salad.
I hear her exclaim after a single spoonful:
Olé apetito!


 

 

Susan J. Erickson lives in Bellingham, Washington. She learned to make cheese soup when living in Tucson, Arizona, and planned to serve it to Julia Child if she came for lunch. Her chapbook The Art of Departure was published by Egress Studio Press. Her work has appeared in Clackamas Literary Review, Switched-on Gutenberg, PoetryMagazine.com, Raven Chronicles, The Lyric and most recently online at ghazalpage.net. She is the co-organizer of the Poet as Art reading series featuring outstanding poets from the Pacific Northwest.