soup for my father

I'm thinking about my father today, partly because it's the anniversary of his passing, partly because I'll be attending a service for a friend's father this weekend. Keeping memories alive has come up in a conversation a number of times this week, with friends noting how reminders of loved ones are still close at hand.

One example happened over Easter weekend, when Amy and I had a Mexican lunch buffet in Detroit. We went to Armando's, whose spread mixes staples of the cuisine with oddball items like a concoction of fried eggs, saltfish and tomato sauce. One of Dad's favourite items is usually available on weekends, a dish we have never asked the official name of and refer to simply as "fish soup".

One of the elements Dad loved about this soup was that the content were never quite the same. Usually the broth is thin and clear, though you can see this Easter's version was the opposite. Types of fish, shrimp and vegetables varied. The only disappointment came when we didn't see a tray on the steam table. We eventually figured out the soup usually appeared on the weekend, which was convenient for whenever I came down for a visit after I moved away.

Liking the fish soup runs mainly among the males in the family. Besides Dad and I, at least one uncle sings its praises. While Mom won't touch it, Whenever Mexican food comes up in conversation she will always chime in on how much Dad loved it. - JB