Spanish Inn Recipe

From my friend, Karen Kelly:

During the 40's and 50's Mama and Daddy would take us to the The Spanish Inn which was located downstairs at 13 East Eighth Street across from the Cincinnati Public Library. I remember the brick floors and dark interior of this special restaurant.

Last year I found an old cookbook at "Half-Price Book Store" called The Ford Treasury of Favorite Eating Places from Famous Eating Places.

On page 136, The Spanish Inn is described as following: Amusing murals sketched by well-known artist patrons, unusual hand-carved furniture, and gleaming copper utensils hanging in the kitchen combine in this restaurant to suggests the Old world atmosphere of a Madrid cafe.

Here's the featured recipe:

SOPA DE GARBANZOS (Chick-pea Soup)

1 lb. garbanzos (chick-peas)
2 1/2 quarts water
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons ham drippings
2 cloves garlic
1 cup rice
Salt to taste.

Soak garbanzos overnight. (I might just buy canned chick-peas to save time). Cook slowly for 2 hrs. in the water, adding more water when necessary to maintain the same amount of liquid.

Fry the paprika in the ham drippings; add a little cold water to separate the fat from the sediment. Skim off the fat and add it to the soup with the garlic cloves which have been lightly browned.

Add the rice 15 minutes before garbanzos are done. Salt to taste.