CLEVELAND, Ohio — The advent of the modern-day restaurant began with a humble dish: soup.
In the 16th century, the French began using the word “restaurant” to refer to the soup sold by vendors in the streets. This soup was advertised as “restoratif” meaning “to restore.”
But where did soup begin?
Anthropologists have found evidence that the earliest soup dates back to 20,000 BC in Xianrendong Cave China where the ancient pottery showed signs of scorch marks, which suggests that the pot must have been making hot soup.
Scientists agree the ancient soup makers simply dug a hole in the ground, lined it with animal skin, and used it to boil water using hot stones. This practice dates back to the Neanderthals who used to boil bones and render fats resulting in a drinkable broth.
With January temperatures in Greater Cleveland usually not getting much higher than 35 degrees, soup is…
