July 31, 2026

Friday happy hour at #Vanaprastha. Coconut Curry Soup with Summer Squash, artisanal bread with deviled ham and sweet gherkins, garden cucumber and Pinot Grigio. Two short stories and the “two thumbs up” soup recipe tomorrow on my Substack. #fridayhappyhour

Jumping right in with the story about the soup. A few years ago, my daughter served this soup for lunch during one of our visits. Jessica is an excellent cook and very mindful of what she prepares, especially for her grade-school-age daughter who is a serious tennis player. As in all competitive sports, a healthy diet is one of the margins for winning. For Keith and me, diet can be the living-better-as-we-age margin.

“Where did you get the recipe?” I asked my daughter, and she handed me Gina Homolka’s cookbook skinnytaste Simple. After noting several recipes I’d like to try, I decided to order the book. Good choice. This soup in particular is light, flavorful, healthy—and simple.

Serving deviled ham also has a story. Canned foods, which date back to 19^th century America, were essential for feeding the troops during WWII. When Keith’s fighter-pilot dad returned from the war—and before he was called back for Korea and the rest of his career—he worked as a sales distributor for Chicken of the Sea, Van Camps, and Campbells Soup. When things were lean, Keith’s family ate the wholesale canned foods, which Dad “advertised” as delicacies. Many of this generation, my family included, survived and thrived on canned foods.

Indeed, deviled ham, which also dates back to the 19^th century in the United States, was highly favored as a culinary delight. The mixture of ground ham with hot spices, such as mustard and cayenne, took Keith right back to his childhood. For me, it’s Spam, the canned mixture of pork shoulder, ham, salt, water, and preservatives, which Mother often baked with a pineapple slice and served as a delicacy.

Back to last night. Whenever I prepare vegetarian recipes for happy hour, I also serve some kind of meat for Keith. Afterwards, we watch a “Friday” movie, meaning a slow romance for me rather than his preferred, fast-paced action.

Coconut Curry Soup with Summer Squash and deviled ham. Romance and Action. Complementing opposites, a recipe for marriage.

Creamy Coconut Curry Soup with Summer Squash – adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

· 1 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil

· 1 medium onion, chopped

· 2 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger

· 2 tsp. yellow curry powder

· ½ tsp kosher salt

· 1½ lbs. yellow summer squash, cut into large chunks

· 32-oz. chicken or vegetable broth

· ¼ cup canned full-fat coconut milk plus more for garnish

· Fresh parsley for garnish (optional) - from my herb pots

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, garlic, and ginger. Season with curry powered and salt. Sauté until onion is golden, 4-5 minutes. Add squash and broth; bring to boil then reduce to low. Cover and simmer until squash is tender, 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add coconut milk and simmer until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with additional coconut milk and fresh parsley; serve.

That’s it for today. See you next week! -C.D.

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