The temperature drops to 9 degrees at night and I say ” I guess it’s now soup weather”. The temperature rises back to the 70s and I repeat that statement. In this kitchen, it’s aways a good time for a steaming hot bowl of soup. Continue reading
Hot soups are for cold weather comfort. Chilled soups, like this Fresh Corn Vichyssoise, are for days when it’s too hot to even consider dining alfresco. So sit under your ceiling fan in your air-conditioned home and enjoy a simple make ahead soup featuring summer corn. Continue reading
Seafood Chowder satisfies when nights are a little chilly. Pack your chowder with lots of vegetables and you’ll need only a small amount of smoked salmon for flavor. Continue reading
Soup weather is finally here. In this case, soup is a hearty meal in a bowl with southwest flavors to melt the snow. Snow ice cream would make a fine dessert to accompany this thick soup. Continue reading
September is the last hurrah for locally grown corn. The sweetness, the crunch, the flavor are all best in the summer months. However, corn products can be enjoyed all year long, like polenta and grits. I feel ready to bid adieu to fresh local corn and welcome autumn fruits and vegetables. This Smoky Tomato Corn Soup lingers in your memory as a late summer best. Continue reading
Chilly days are all in a row and that can only mean one thing : soup weather. This Smoked Turkey Split Pea Soup is hearty enough for both lunch and dinner. Today’s chunky soup has vegetables and bits of smoked turkey, easily found in any grocery deli and sliced for cubing. One pound of split peas makes a decent amount of soup, especially since it thickens so much on standing and takes to dilution well for those with a yen for broth. Continue reading
Cooking doesn’t always need to involve heat. Chopping, tossing and blending are all easy methods of cool food preparation, with no flame in sight. The work of a good blender is the only electricity involved in making this refreshing summer soup featuring just-picked basil and chilled buttermilk. Continue reading
Our wonderful public radio station asked me recently on Instagram “What is your favorite snow day meal?” Even though it was spring and not a snowflake in sight (or hindsight, darn it) I did not hesitate when I answered Beans and Greens. Truthfully, if the thermometer read triple digits, my answer would be the same. We all need a little extra comfort in these trying times, and it’s time to recast that original recipe with some nice sausage for an extra filling and homey dish that can both feed a crowd or dwell faithfully in your freezer for when you need a culinary hug.
The enjoyment of eating soup can be likened to the development of a good friendship. Things are lovely in the beginning and as time passes the relationship takes on depth from shared experiences. You would not immediately bond with most potential friends and you would not fully appreciate the complex flavors of soup until some time has passed and the taste blooms into something wonderful. Continue reading
In Virginia and Maryland, the blue crab capitals of the Eastern seaboard, there are two types of crab aficionados. Those who grab a pile of crabs, spread them out on newspaper and then pick for hours on end. And then there are those like me who like our crabmeat in a nice little tub labeled “jumbo lump”. Continue reading