Rumford's Soup Feeds Generations

Rumford's Soup, created around 1800 by American-born physicist and inventor Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford), was an early scientific attempt to provide cheap, nutritious food. Made of barley, peas, potatoes, and sour beer, it became a staple for feeding the poor and prisoners and served as a common military ration across Central Europe throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Previous Fact Next Fact