The Bengals host what is famously called Mock Turtle Soup Day every year at the start of training camp. But how did the tradition start?
Every year during our newsroom planning meetings, I hear about the Cincinnati Bengals’ annual Mock Turtle Soup Day.
And every year I have the same two thoughts:
1.) “Why do they serve mock turtle soup?”
2.) “What even is mock turtle soup?”
It turns out owner Mike Brown is fond of it, which is why the team serves it during media day every year ahead of training camp.
I knew there was more to the story, though, so I bravely attended the famed Mock Turtle Soup Day to learn more and to try the dish myself.
What is mock turtle soup?
For people, like myself, who know nothing about mock turtle soup, it’s apparently a local culinary tradition. (I did my research before driving down to Paycor Stadium.)
It was a mainstay at the German saloons that once graced Over-the-Rhine, where it was often ladled out free (or at least cheap) along with cold glasses of lager.
The soup is a reimagination of the once-famous (and a bit more pricey) turtle soups that were made with actual terrapins and once graced the menus of white-tablecloth restaurants in places like London and New York City. It was so popular the turtles with which the soup was made were nearly hunted to extinction.
Thus came the invention of mock turtle soup, which eventually usurped its namesake, becoming the preferred version for special occasions and appearing on menus at famed hotels. While it surged in popularity in the 19th century and through the middle of the 20th, the passion for it ultimately waned, and it's now hard to find anywhere.
Unless you're in the Queen City.
"There is one place in the country where the love of mock turtle soup never went away – Cincinnati," Natasha Frost of the popular website Atlas Obscura wrote in 2017.
These days, mock turtle soup is mostly available at diners and casual restaurants. It's also available in cans at local grocery stores, produced by Worthmore Food Products Co., which Boone Brands, of North Carolina, purchased in 2023.
The first iterations of mock turtle soup tried to mimic the complex flavors and textures of turtle meat. These days it largely consists of ground beef, veal, ketchup, eggs, Worchestershire sauce, lemon and – in many cases – grocery store-bought ginger snaps
So … why do the Bengals serve it?
I’ll admit, it’s a little intimidating going to Bengals’ media day to ask about … soup.
I stood beside reporters asking about topics that ranged from the Paycor Stadium lease to the recent signing of quarterback Desmond Ridder.
But I had a job to do.
I learned the mock turtle soup tradition goes back to when founder Paul Brown, Mike Brown's dad, hosted the media luncheon at the Queen City Club.
"We had lunch there, and they served mock turtle soup," Brown told me. "It was pretty good. So we came down here (to Paycor Stadium), and we tried to emulate it. I don't know that we ever quite got to the original standard, but I still like it."
"So we have it, and I'm not unhappy about that. I sure look forward to it."
What about other Bengals staffers?
"I love mock turtle soup," head coach Zac Taylor said. "I've come to really have a fondness for mock turtle soup."
The consensus?
I expected this event to be like most other media lunches: buffet style.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn the Bengals had servers, who brought out a four-course meal, the mock turtle soup being the second. (A salad came first, and the main dish was fish, steak, potatoes and garlic green beans. We had sherbet for dessert.)
My colleagues provided a range of reviews. Sports editor Jason Hoffman is a massive fan. He called this his favorite event of the year. Executive editor Beryl Love, however, didn't seem too thrilled to eat the dish, based on his past experience with it. Bengals beat writer Kelsey Conway wouldn't even take a bite.
Then, came the moment of truth: I tried it myself.
The sweetness of the soup was familiar, almost like Cincinnati-style chili. We love our food with a hint of sweetness here. However, the chewy consistency, which I assume mocks turtle meat, and the added egg (which we mixed into the soup after they sprinkled it on top) threw me off a bit.
It still enjoyed it.
It was unique and I could see it being something that grows on you. And heck, I wouldn't mind throwing it on a coney. I see why Brown enjoys it, especially if it also gives him a dose of nostalgia.
Like our chili, though, it's not for everyone.
"I'm undecided," said Bengals beat writer Pat Brennan, who also tried it for the first time.
Maybe, he'll change his tune next year.
Enquirer food writer Keith Pandolfi contributed this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why Mike Brown starts every Bengals training camp with a rare soup
Category: Football
