Over the years, The Simpsons has become notorious for including dozens of celebrity guests, from comedians like Phil Hartman to sci-fi icons like Leonard Nimoy. They’ve also become the source for many theories and Easter eggs like the A113 logo seen in every Pixar film. But on rare occasions, both of these factors come together to create something truly entertaining. In this case, it involves music legend Paul McCartney and his hidden lentil soup recipe.
The Easter egg can be heard in Season 7, Episode 5, “Lisa the Vegetarian.” The episode marks the moment that Lisa decides she no longer wishes to eat meat. However, her decision causes ridicule and judgment at home and in her school, which labels her an “agitator.” This is partly due to Homer not understanding what it means to be a vegetarian, leading to a heated argument between father and daughter.
However, Lisa also makes her own mistakes as she tries to push her beliefs during Homer’s barbecue, even going so far as to throw away the roast he cooked. These events lead to Lisa leaving her house and seeing Apu at the Kwik-E-Mart to eat a hot dog. However, Apu tells her that his hot dogs are tofu, and he is a vegetarian too. To help Lisa better understand her choice, he takes her to a secret sanctuary on his roof, where she meets McCartney and his wife, Linda.
Paul explains that he knew Apu from the Beatle’s time in India. Both he and Apu reassure Lisa that there is nothing wrong with being vegetarian, but she needs to be tolerant and not push her beliefs on others. The pep talk changes her, and she and Homer make up for their argument and past mistakes. As the credits roll, McCartney’s song “Maybe I’m Amazed” plays. But as it continues, there are brief snippets of backward speak.
When played in reverse, the strange mumbling reveals as McCartney reciting his lentil soup recipe. Some ingredients include one medium onion chopped, two tablespoons vegetable oil and one clove garlic crushed. The end of the recipe also features a small line where McCartney states, “By the way, I’m alive.” The line references a 1966 conspiracy in which Paul was supposedly killed in a car accident and replaced with a lookalike.
The Simpsons always finds a way to keep things fresh for its fans after decades of episodes. But it’s Easter eggs like Paul McCartney’s recipe that show just how many surprises are littered throughout the series. However, it’s hard to say how many more are still hiding in plain sight with so many episodes.
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