Above: Herb Soup with Eggplant Bacon
This time last year, Toronto (and most of the east coast) was cold and covered in a fairly fresh blanet of snow. Last week, it was summertime hot--26C degrees and sunny--which was only about 10 degrees hotter than the average for the past few weeks. It's cooler this week but still mild.
This time last year, I wanted soup for dinner.
This week, I still do.
Because while I want an ice cream cone around noon on the hotter days this month, the nights are still chilly and I'm reminded on more humid mornings that the April showers will be coming. There are grey, damp days ahead and I welcome them. I do love that we (usually) have four seasons, not for the least reason of which is the the food that comes with each season. I'll look forward to peas and strawberries in a few months, but for now, I'm looking forward to more cozy dinners that are just a little lighter than I'd make them in November...
...and that means soup.
Above: Tteokguk, Seared Onigiri in Green Tea Broth, Green soup with asparagus, potato hash, seed crackers.
Soup is not difficult and it's only as boring as you make it. Really, whatever you're craving, it can be made into soup--even a creamy piece of cheese or potatoes or radishes! I don't have a recipe on this site yet (note to self) but you can even make a pretty boozy soup, if you're so inclined. And I don't have to tell you that soup is as good hot as it is cold and pretty much everywhere in between.
But just as you would never forget to put your favourite toppings on your sandwich or pizza, don't forget to accessorize your soup. As you can see, I have a few ideas about how to do that (click on the photo captions for the recipes) and any one of these garnishes can be mixed, matched and tweaked to your tastes--plus you probably have a million more ideas which you should share with me, please. Let your soup simmer, prep your toppings and open a creamy white wine before you sip your way through a super-light but totally satifying dinner.
Below: Roasted Onion and Fennel Soup with Pistou, French Onion and Porcini Soup,Soup and Rice.