Important Pages:

Today's Case:

Loveman's Department Store Vegetable Soup

Subject: Re: Loveman's Department Store (Birmingham, AL) Vegetable Soup recipe
From: Phaedrus
Date: 11/2/2026, 3:27 PM
To: Gwendolyn

On 11/2/2026 8:48 AM, Gwendolyn wrote:

Loveman’s was a grand department store in Birmingham wayback when department stores were the major shopping destinations.  They had a wonderful tea room that served homemade vegetable soup.  It was one of their specialities.  Any idea of where I can find the recipe?

Hello Gwendolyn,

I consulted my usual sources and had no success with this. My worthy assistant, Gemini, thoroughly consulted the Internet and likewise had no success locating an actual recipe from Loveman's. He did find discussion of the soup, and he gave the below reply.

He also provided two other recipes from Loveman's that he found. They are also below.

Phaed

Gemini:

The exact recipe for the Loveman's Tea Room vegetable soup has unfortunately not been widely digitized or preserved in major Southern cooking archives, unlike some of their other famous staples like the Missouri Club or Brunswick Stew.
However, mid-century department store tea rooms across the South (including Loveman's and its cross-town rival, Pizitz) followed a very specific, traditional style for their daily vegetable soup. It wasn't a modern, light broth; it was a deeply savory, slightly thick, slow-simmered classic.
To recreate that exact nostalgic, comforting flavor at home, you can use this authentic mid-century Southern Tea Room-style recipe:

Mid-Century Tea Room Vegetable Soup

• Prep time: 20 mins
• Cook time: 1 hour
• Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• The Base:
    • 2 tbsp butter or bacon fat (the secret to that rich, old-school flavor)
    • 1 large yellow onion, diced
    • 3 ribs celery, diced
    • 2 medium carrots, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
• The Liquid & Body:
    • 4 cups high-quality beef broth (Tea rooms traditionally used a rich beef or mixed meat stock base rather than plain vegetable broth)
    • 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes (with their juices)
    • 2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• The Classic Southern Veggie Mix:
    • 1 cup frozen or fresh corn cut off the cob
    • 1 cup frozen or fresh lima beans (a must-have for Alabama tea room soups)
    • 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Seasonings:
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 bay leaf
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • A pinch of sugar (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, a common mid-century trick)

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter or bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. 2. Build the broth: Pour in the beef broth, canned tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the cubed potatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
3. Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. 4. Add the final vegetables: Stir in the corn, lima beans, and green beans. Cover and simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until all the vegetables are perfectly tender and the flavors have fully married together.
5. Serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Serve piping hot, ideally with a side of warm cornbread or saltine crackers, just like they did downtown.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be fully clear: while the precise, officially copyrighted kitchen manuals from Loveman’s were never formally published into a commercial cookbook, local Alabama culinary historians and former patrons have successfully preserved the specific ingredient formulas for these two items.
The Missouri Club is an open-faced, broiled, cheese-smothered classic, while the Alabama-style Brunswick Stew leans into a distinct, sweet-and-smoky barbecue profile.

The Loveman's Tea Room Missouri Club

This is a rich, comforting open-faced sandwich that must be finished under a broiler to get the cheese sauce bubbly and browned.
• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 10 mins
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• The Cheese Sauce (The "Secret" Layer):
    • 3 tbsp butter
    • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ cups whole milk (warmed)
    • 1 ½ cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
    • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
    • A pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper
• The Sandwich Build:
    • 4 thick slices of high-quality white bread or Texas Toast
    • 8 slices of deli-roasted turkey breast
    • 8 slices of baked deli ham
    • 8 strips of bacon, cooked until crispy
    • 1 large tomato, sliced

Instructions

1. Make the cheese sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens (about 3–4 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
2. Toast the bread: Lightly toast your bread slices and place them on a broiler-safe baking sheet.
3. Layer the ingredients: On top of each piece of toast, layer 2 slices of ham, 2 slices of turkey, and a slice of tomato.
4. Sauce and broil: Generously spoon the Cheddar cheese sauce over the top of each sandwich, completely covering the meat and tomato. Place under the oven broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and boasts golden-brown spots. 5. Finish: Garnish each sandwich with 2 strips of crispy bacon crossed over the top. Serve immediately with a knife and fork.

2. Alabama Department Store Brunswick Stew

Unlike Virginia or Georgia versions which can be heavily tomato-based, the historic mid-century Alabama department store style (famously served at both Loveman's and Pizitz) utilizes a pulled pork and chicken base simmered with a touch of regional barbecue sauce. • Prep time: 20 mins
• Cook time: 1 hour
• Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

• The Meats:
    • 2 cups cooked chicken (breasts or thighs), shredded
    • 2 cups cooked pulled pork (plain or lightly sauced)
• The Base & Veggies:
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 1 large sweet yellow onion, finely diced
    • 1 can (28 oz) crushed or whole peeled tomatoes (crushed by hand)
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and finely cubed
    • 1 can (14 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
    • 1 package (10 oz) frozen baby lima beans
• The Signature Sauce & Seasonings:
    • 1 cup of a classic Southern sweet-and-tangy tomato-based BBQ sauce
    • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté: Melt the butter in a large, heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Combine: Pour in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, BBQ sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine the liquids.
3. Simmer the potatoes: Add the cubed potatoes to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are just beginning to turn tender.
4. Incorporate meats and remaining veggies: Stir in the shredded chicken, pulled pork, drained corn, and baby lima beans. Add the yellow mustard, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
5. Slow simmer: Leave the pot uncovered, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Stir frequently to ensure the thick stew doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. The meats should begin to break down slightly, thickening the broth into a rich, hearty consistency.