Some of my favorite culinary memories from my days at Ohio University are the moments I enjoyed a creamy, cheesy broccoli soup at Nelson Dining Hall, South Green.

Many of my friends have also raved about this soup and it comes up in conversation even to this day, more than 15 years later.

So it was with great surprise, excitement and salivation that I received an email from a woman who claimed to have been given the soup recipe by OU management. The document looked legit. The recipe itself seems so simple given the layered, complex flavors of the soup I remember. So without further ado, I give you the "secret" of its greatness:

Ohio University's Cream of Broccoli Soup

DIRECTIONS:

WASH HANDS. USE ONLY CLEAN, SANITIZED POTS, PANS, UTENSILS AND COOKING EQUIPMENT.

MELT MARGARINE IN STEAM JACKETED KETTLE. ADD ONIONS AND SAUTE UNTIL TENDER. DO NOT BROWN. STIR IN FLOUR, SALT AND PEPPER. COOK AND STIR UNTIL A SMOOTH PASTE IS FORMED. DO NOT BROWN. DISSOLVE CHICKEN BASE IN HOT WATER. REMOVE MILK FROM 40F OR BELOW COOLER. CHECK TEMPERATURE OF MILK AND RECORD. IT SHOULD BE 40F OR BELOW. GRADUALLY ADD CHICKEN STOCK AND MILK TO COOKED ROUX, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. COOK AND STIR OVER LOW HEAT UNTIL MIXTURE THICKENS, IS SMOOTH AND FLOUR TASTE HAS DISAPPEARED. DO NOT BOIL. BLANCH BROCCOLI. DO NOT OVER COOK. STIR IN CHEESE AND COOKED, DRAINED BROCCOLI, HEAT TO 165F. DO NOT BOIL. CHECK TEMPERATURE AND RECORD, SOUP MAY THICKEN UPON STANDING. THIN BY ADDING A LITTLE WARM MILK.

20 - 6 OZ LADLES PER 1 GALLON.

COOL LEFTOVERS RAPIDLY IN SHALLOW PANS IN 40F OR BELOW COOLER.

SERVING UTENSIL: 6 OZ LADLE