 | |
| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Course | Main or soup |
| Place of origin | England |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Calf's head or beef; sherry, brandy, or wine; seasonings |
Mock turtle soup is an English soup that was created in the mid-18th century as an imitation of green turtle soup. It often uses brains and organ meats such as calf's head to duplicate the texture and flavour of the original's turtle meat after the green turtles used to make the original dish were hunted nearly to extinction. In the United States, mock turtle soup eventually became more popular than the original dish and is still popular in Cincinnati. The soup is also a traditional dish in the Lower Saxony areas of Germany, where it is considered a specialty of English cuisine.