My husband and I were in Costco this weekend (call me crazy!) and as we rounded a corner I discovered that they were sampling a soup I ate incessantly during my five years living in Atlanta, Tomato Basil from La Madeleine! It was my favorite lunch, and I have such fond memories of eating it tucked away in a cozy spot in the rustic French-inspired restaurant, especially when I ended the meal by sharing a dish of Strawberries Romanoff with my lunch companion – yum! 

Back in Costco, I said something out loud which may have sounded like “Eeek! La Madeleine tomato soup! No WAY!” and reached for the teensy sample cup with a huge grin on my face.  I shared my little trip down memory lane with the woman sampling the soup. And then I picked up the package….. and got a cold, hard look from that nice sampling lady.

Her: “Just please don’t read the back, ok?”

Me: “Well, why on earth not?”

Her: “Because every time someone does, it causes a commotion.”
 
Me: “Pardon me?”
 
Her: “A commotion. It causes a commotion.”
 
Me: “Why is that, exactly?”
 
Her, with a sigh: “Go ahead, read the label.”

Serving size 1 cup
Calories     340
Fat    32g

Me (shrieking): “Are you KIDDING me? That’s INSANE! That’s worse than premium ice CREAM for heaven’s sake!”
 
Her: “I warned you.”

I mean seriously. It’s just SOUP! How can one measly cup possibly be that caloric and fat-laden? But it is! It said so, right there on the nutrition label in black and white.  And I’ll tell you what, it doesn’t have to be like that. I have a recipe for a Creamy Tomato Bisque that would knock your socks off that has fewer than 150 calories a cup and only about 5 grams of fat! Puh-leeze.

Be careful, dear readers, for the seemingly virtuous “I’ll just have soup” order may give you more than you bargained for! Read the labels, even if it hurts.