The U.S. Senate Bean Soup - p. 159

Now, I get it.   The senators hate  us because we keep serving them this soup in their cafeteria.  Although, I have to laugh because it was a lot of work, looked pretty on the outside, but then you get served up a bowl of crud.  If you have an extra few hours to kill, and want to make something that I'm sure will mold in the refrigerator, then this is the recipe for you.  I like ham and bean soup, but not this one.  It's bland, and I think you cook the ham so long that it has no smoke flavor whatsoever.  Am I being clear?  One spoon, and that spoon is because it isn't inedible. It just doesn't taste good.