After re-donning my super-dooper secret chronoscryers robe and (re)casting both my weary, bloodshot baby blues upon a perfect replica of the orginal ar-tickle, I see that it very plainly says that Mrs. Coffey was making.........................soap. That rather makes sense, as it seems doubtful soup could be called "a necessary article in all well-regulated families."

On t'other hand, Mrs. Coffey certainly didn't make lye soap (the kind now known as old-fashioned lye soap), as that was an all-day (and sometimes longer) job. --Jim