Sweethearts and Soup

Welp, I lied -- I do have something for you on my first day. For my graduate capstone project I was given a couple of World War II diaries and letters to transcribe and annotate; one such letter is the one that follows, by a Mr. Fred Marshall, who served in the European theatre during WWII. He's quite a romantic type (as well a cheating type!), as you'll soon read:

Dearest –

your letters all come to me as the one ray of sunshine in this dreary lonesome country and words cannot express my gratitude, dear little French girl. I would give all for just a few moments with you again. but some how I am led to believe that our “little romance” est finis[1]. and I too am tres triste[2] and meloncholy [sic] to think that happiness could so soon be blighted.

Of course, dear, I realized all of the time that it was an impossible project to think of you as ever my fiancee but I have always been more or less of a dreamer and it was nice to think of the impossible things. It is the one sentimental desire for every American soldier to have a French sweetheart, unfortunate for me that I should fall in love with you knowing that I could never claim you as my own except for a few weeks.

Ah, so I am young, you think? Yes perhaps I am, in years but quite old enough to know my heart. I shall always follow this path. I am older now than I was when I became engaged to the “girl who “attends impatientment et a confiance”[3] It is only since these last few months that I am afraid I have made a mistake. but so much for that, Henriette, dear. don't ever again spoil our pleasure in this by recalling my fiance and now suppose fortune should grant my return some day and I should not find you. Must I “attende vous”[4] forever at La place de Madaline. You must not say this sweetheart. I must always think of Paris as the place where I can find you. When this ceases to be so I no longer have any desire for it. Don’t ever kill my dream. When you think of me forget all else in the world but me, think of the impossible things. How happy we could be over in America in a little Bungalow, near the city of Dayton, Ohio. Automo[tives], dinners theatres, wine and best of all love and – petite Freddie!

I shall await impatiently for your letter and may I ask one more favor of you. Please do not say that I should not see you again. I quite understand all of your letters except this one phase of it. Must I think of a possible visit to Paris without you. Should you do this I would then think that French girls were indeed frivolous and incapable of fidelity. I shall always love Paris. If I never get to come back to it I must always recall it as the place of life’s happiest experience. The long promenades with you the panorama, the bridge over the Seine the reflection of the lights in the water, the soft strains of music and songs of [illegible] amusement because “[illegible] est finis”[5] is it not a beautiful recollection?

Can’t you send me a photograph Just one for me. I hope that you have a pleasant trip to Nice

I must now close with all of my love for you to do with it as you wish. you are older than I. you know best.

always

Fred

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[1] est finis is French for “is over”

[2] tres triste is French for “very sad”

[3] attends impatientment et a confiance is French for “waits impatiently and with confidence”

[4] attende vous is French for “wait for you”

[5] Perhaps la fantasie est finis, which is French for “the fantasy is over”

What's more suiting for a love letter to a French sweetheart than a recipe from France? Enjoy this vichyssoise recipe from the Cook's Encyclopedia (with some personal changes):

Ingredients

- 1 pound of potatoes (about three large ones), peeled and cubed

- 6 cups of chicken broth

- 4 medium leeks, trimmed

- 2/3 cups sour cream

- salt and pepper

Directions

1. put the potatoes and broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes

2. make a slit along the length of each leek and rinse well under cold running water, slice thinly

3. when potatoes are tender, stir in the leeks; season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally

4. puree the soup in a blender or food processer and stir in sour cream

5. the recipe calls for the soup to be chilled before eaten, but I prefer to eat mine hot :)

Enjoy!