An American Tradition

Ah, the simple can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup--what would American "cuisine" be without it? From the infamous Classic Green Bean Casserole so prevalent at holiday dinners to the 18 kinds of one-dish chicken-and-something concoctions, the contents of this can are pervasive. Campbell's Kitchen lists 1326 recipes using CofM!

My ex-husband's favorite quickie meal was to dump a can of this in a saucepan with a can of tuna (liquid included), some shredded cheddar cheese, and a splash of Chardonnay or Chablis (whatever was open). He'd stir that up and heat it through; then he'd pull a cookie sheet of crispy hot Tater Tots out of the oven, dump them in a bowl, and smother them in "gravy." Yes, it sounds repulsive. Yes, I have been known to make it as comfort food when I'm home sick with a cold. Don't tell anyone.

The famous can wasn't as simple to paint as it is to use, however--I tried this one three times in two hours, and I'm going with this one, warts and all. Andy Warhol it ain't (and anyway, his ultimate icon of choice was Tomato)--but I think it will do for our cookbook.