Please do not delude yourself that my preparation of orzo soup is in any way an indication of sophistication on my part. The orzo was from the half-price discontinued items bin at the local grocery store. It was cheap. I had never heard of the stuff, but it looked like rice so I figured it could be used in soup.

The store at which I bought it is one of a regional chain of ten or so stores. Most of them are in affluent neighborhoods, but "our" store is the poor country cousin out in the middle of cotton and peanut farming country.   When the chain's management decides to try a new item, a carton automatically goes to all stores, whether they want it or not. That's how organic orzo gets to a store where nobody's ever heard of the stuff. So, it sits on the shelf for a while, and then gets tossed into the bargain bin for cheapskates like me to buy.

"What's this? Hell, I don't know, but it's cheap. Buy it. If you don't like it, feed it to the dog. She'll eat anything."

But, having discovered orzo, I do like it and imagine it will become a regular purchase, albeit from a different store. And it makes me feel all sophisticated and Whole Foodsish.