Lettuce, peas, leeks, garlic, tarragon, butter and cream make a fresh, creamy soup that can be served warm or cold. Recipe below.

AFTER MONTHS OF GETTING LITTLE OR NO RAIN, we are suddenly getting all the rain. Our garden is loving it, of course, and so are we, begrudgingly. The cool, rainy weather has us thinking about soup, but the calendar has us craving something not so stick-to-your-ribs hearty. And that made us think of this lovely, light soup that can be served warm or chilled. Continue reading “A springy, summery soup for a soupy day: Delicate Pea and Lettuce Soup” →

Ingredients from around the world create this smoky, big-flavored, slightly spicy lentil soup. Recipe below.

LENTILS ARE A STAPLE AROUND THE WORLD, from India (where 40% of the world’s lentils are consumed) to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. We’ve shared lentil recipes here from India, France, Turkey, Italy and other spots around the globe. This recipe is a global adventure all its own. Continue reading “Many cultures in a single bowl: Ham Hock and Lentil Soup” →

Thoroughly pureeing this simple soup of mushrooms, potatoes and caraway seed makes it velvety smooth and elegant. Recipe below.

A NUMBER OF YEARS BACK, WE WERE ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH ILLINOIS AND IOWA, noodling around as is our way, and happened upon the Lincoln Cafe, in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Before launching into rhapsodies about its many wonders. I want to start by saying that the Lincoln Cafe has been closed for nearly ten years now. In its heyday, it was that rare place that achieved things which, in America, often clash—providing high-quality, honest, delicious fare and doing it at a modest price. It was neighborhood joint done right, and its location, right on the Lincoln Highway in the heart of tiny Mount Vernon, made it even more lovely. Continue reading “A simple soup elevated: Mushroom Potato Caraway Soup” →