Fond Memories of the Magic Pan’s Potage St. Germain

Last week I shared a former co-worker’s recipe for Indian Fry Bread, which got me reminiscing about the years I worked for Northwest Exploration Company, located on 15th and Lawrence Street in Denver, just a hop, skip, and a jump from Larimer Square.

At that time Larimer Square was filled with quaint shops and wonderful restaurants—the Magic Pan, Platte River Yacht Club, Laffite’s, the Bratskellar, Josephina’s, Café Promenade, and Soapy Smith’s. I could only afford to have lunch out once or twice a week, but when I did, it was such a treat. My favorite place was the Magic Pan, which served the most delicious Potage St. Germain, or split pea soup, but was known for its sweet and savory crepes. Westword Magazine claims that if you didn’t eat crepes at the Magic Pan in the 1970s, your Denver childhood was incomplete. I think your adulthood was incomplete as well.

I found the following picture of Larimer Square in the 1970s online. It was an especially magical place at Christmas time; and my husband and I loved to go Christmas shopping there and, of course, have dinner at the Magic Pan.

Potage St. Germain is a classic French soup, which is traditionally made with fresh green peas or split peas and ham. It originated in the French town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which had a strong farming tradition of producing both peas and pork. The Magic Pan served their Potage St. Germain with a drizzle of brandy and a dollop of sour cream. Their version was puréed and topped with a few tablespoons of chopped ham. My version is a bit chunkier. You can use any size of ham bone, but if you have a larger one, before cooking, remove some of the ham for another use. You can be versatile and add as much or as little ham as you like. If you can’t find a ham bone at your supermarket, try your Honey Baked Ham Store.

Carol Ann’s Potage St. Germain

Serves 6 to 8

1 ham bone (about 3 pounds)

6 cups water

1 can (14.5-ounces) chicken broth

1 package (16-ounces) split peas

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon butter

⅔ cup leeks, white and light green parts only, finely chopped, about 2 leeks

⅓ cup carrots, finely chopped, about ½ carrot

⅓ cup celery, finely chopped, about 1 stalk

1 teaspoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup heavy cream, or more

Bite-sized ham pieces

1 cup ham, cooked and chopped, for garnish

Sour cream or crème fraiche, for garnish

Brandy, for drizzling

In a large kettle, place ham bone. Add water, chicken broth, peas, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

In a small skillet, melt butter over a medium heat. Add leeks, carrots, and celery and sauté until limp. Transfer sautéed veggies to the kettle. Add brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, dry mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Simmer until peas are very soft and the soup is thick, about 45 minutes.

Remove the ham bone and let it cool. Remove ham from the bone and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a blender, place 2 cups of split pea soup and purée. Return to the kettle. Add heavy cream and ham pieces to the soup. Simmer another 10 to 15 minutes. Add more heavy cream if needed to achieve desired consistency.

Garnish with chopped ham and a dollop of sour cream. Drizzle with brandy to taste. Don’t skip the brandy!

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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