In a small to medium pot, melt the butter (or the oil) over medium heat. If you have no way to blend your soup once cooked, finely chop your onion and very finely mince your garlic, otherwise, just slice it to saute it quickly.
Add the onion to the pot, stir well and saute for 5-6 minutes before adding the garlic. Again, stir well and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, broth, baking soda, parsley, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or so over medium-low heat. The baking soda will foam up and help neutralize the acids from the canned tomatoes and you won't taste it at all.
Remove the bay leaf from the soup and puree. I use my immersion blender, but you can also transfer the soup to a blender to blend it until smooth, or if you chopped your onions and garlic finely enough and used tomato puree you can omit this step for a soup that isn't as smooth. Once blended, stir in the honey or other sweetener you have on hand and fresh basil and check for seasonings, adding salt as needed. Serve while hot with a splash of milk or cream if desired.