Bos Taurus Pulmenti

Cassandra was dressed in her finest black gown and thin robe. She loved how it billowed out as she moved about the room. The overly large hat was cumbersome but necessary for this ritual to be completed successfully. She nudged the floppy pointed hat backwards a tad and tucked errant strands of her dark brown hair behind her ear.

The fire was lit beneath the cauldron and was warming as she pulled down the heavy tome. She ran her hand across the worn cover and smiled. Her great-grandmother had cherished this book and given it to her shortly before she passed. It was her birthright, and it was her duty to follow the instructions to the tee.

She carried the book to the table and placed it next to the items she had meticulously gathered and prepped. She flipped open the book to the page she had previously bookmarked.

“Bos taurus pulmenti,” she said aloud. “Pour oil from the Olea europaea fruit into the cauldron and wait till it shimmers a bit.”

Cassandra opened the green bottle with a pop of the cork and poured in the required oil.

“Toss in the mangled flesh of Bos taurus and braise.” She stirred the flesh with a large wooden spoon to coat it evenly.

“Open an appropriately aged bottle of Vitis. One must taste to ensure that it is suitable for the pulmenti,” she read aloud. “Well, if you insist.”

She grabbed the bottle and splashed a good amount into her glass. She took a small sip and let the flavors explode in her mouth. “Perfect, choice Grandmama.”

She took her glass to the cauldron and stirred while she enjoyed the Vitis.

“Add skinned and minced Allium cepa and sativum. Do not be stingy. Yes, ma’am. Then stir and cook till tender.”

She added the ingredients as per the instructions and sipped and swirled the Vitis while she continued stirring. She hummed happily as she prepared the mixture.

“Next empty what is left of that Vitis onto the Bos taurus and alliums.

“Whilst they simmer, chop a few Daucus carota. Then peel and cube the fleshy organ from the Solanum Tuberosum plant. Luckily, I have already done this in anticipation of these steps.”

Cassandra drained the next ingredients and placed them in the pot.

“Quarter three Solanum lycopersicum and add once the concoction is a boilin’.

“This is so exciting. My first pulmenti with the hand and voice of Grandmama.”

She dropped in the lycopersicum and stirred.

“Add plenty of water to cover the cauldron’s contents.

“Sprinkle granules of sodium chloride and finely ground fruit of piper nigrum.”

She poured the water from the pitcher. Then she danced about as she sent pinches of the next ingredients into the pot.

“What on earth are you doing dressed like that? Wait, you have that book out,” said my mother as she stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips.

“I… am… brewing bos taurus pulmenti.”

“English!” she barked.

“I am making Great-grandmama’s beef soup for dinner,” I replied sheepishly. I was a bit embarrassed being caught dressed up in my Halloween witch’s costume in the kitchen, but there was no other way to prepare recipes from her amazing book.

Prompt: ▼

Tomorrow, February 4, is National Homemade Soup Day! Write a story or poem about someone making a soup from scratch for the first time.

Daucus carota (carrot)
Solanum Tuberosum (potato)
Allium cepa and sativum (onion and garlic)
Bos taurus (beef)
Olea europaea fruit (olive)
Sodium chloride (salt)
Piper nigrum (black pepper)
Pulmenti (soup)

536 words