125 Best Soup Recipes

Patricia A. Myers is a historian at the Historic Sites and Archives
Service, Alberta Community Development. She is the author of Sky Riders:
An Illustrated History of Aviation in Alberta, 1906–1945 and
Preserving Women’s History.

This easy-to-use book brings together a varied selection of tasty soups
that puts to rest once and for all the myth that soups are
time-consuming and difficult. It begins with utensil suggestions, from
spoons and scrapers to containers for freezing. The next section
features stocks with enticing accompaniments such as fresh salsa topping
and parmesan shortbread.

The soup recipes are divided into classics (such as Minestrone), garden
(Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Stilton, for example), chowders (such as
Wild Mushroom and Rice Chowder), hearty (Butternut Squash Soup with
Toasted Seeds), fancies (Chili Lime Chicken Soup), coolers (Fruit Soup
with Fresh Basil), and jump-starts that begin with prepared ingredients
such as canned soup or frozen vegetables.

I gave this book to a young cook and asked him if he would test a few
of the recipes. He made the Chili Lime Chicken Soup and found it a bit
powerful the first day, but reported that it mellowed beautifully on the
second day. The Roasted Red Pepper Soup was also very good, although
roasting the peppers was a bit tricky. The Vietnamese Pho Soup was very
tasty with its ginger and lime juice, and the bean sprouts were a nice
crunchy addition. All the recipes he tried he found easy to do with
clear instructions. They were quick as well, with none taking more than
25 minutes of preparation. There is a good variety of soups,
ingredients, and spice levels, and the authors helpfully suggest
substitutions for the harder-to-find ingredients.

125 Best Soup Recipes is nicely illustrated and has an index. It should
find a home on many cookbook shelves, and may even convert some soup
doubters into soup lovers.