By Tara Richter…
I love summer. In fact if I could live in a perpetual summer I would be a very happy person. However there is one thing that I do like about the fall, and that is the comfort food of home-cooked soups. There is nothing quite like a hot pot of soup, simmering on the stove, filling the house with aromatic flavours while the cold, crisp, autumn wind blows outside.
My mom’s homemade soup, made from leftover turkey meat & bones, was a welcome treat to the mostly store-bought canned soup I grew up on. I often wondered, as a child, how she made soup from bones, and pictured the turkey bones melting away in the boiling water.
To this day I haven’t yet been able to replicate Mom’s Turkey Soup. There is something to be said for years of experience, just the right seasonings, and of course a whole lot of motherly love. To my delight, the Soup Maker’s Kitchen by Aliza Green is a beautifully laid out cookbook that is great for anyone either new to soup making, or those well versed in the art of soup.
Out of the 153 pages of soup options, my choice seemed an easy one as I had two leftover roast-chickens, so naturally I chose the Roast Chicken Broth. I found the instructions very easy to follow, and really appreciated the full color pictures that offered great illustrations of the varying stages the soup process. In fact all the different types of soup in the book were accompanied by a series of photos representing the varying stages of the soup creation, not just the final product.
The addition of these photos visually answer the ‘how to’ step and ‘what is that supposed to look like’ step, versus lengthy text which would attempt to explain the same. A picture really is worth a thousand words.
While the soup simmered, I took some time to read through the first few pages, which describe the basics of soup making and the process to create the foundation to any soup, the stock. I now understand where the essential flavours come from in a great soup, and can fully appreciate the efforts of my mom in boiling the turkey bones. I was amazed at the robust flavour of my own soup from the simple addition of carrots, celery and onions.
After a full morning of simmering broth and veggies, I asked my 9-year old son if he’d like some soup for lunch. Taking his first sip, I eagerly waited for his response. “Wow, That’s really good Mom”. It felt as though I won an academy award! MY soup was good!
I am looking forward to trying the other recipes in this great cookbook. Ranging from broth and creamed, gazpachos and chowders, to the ethnic flavours of Thai Chicken Coconut. The options offered in this book are sure to please just about any palate. As for me, I now have a solution of what to do with the large bag of beets waiting patiently in my fridge – Borscht!
I love soups, and would love to learn how to make homemade healthy soups for my family 🙂
I want to win because this is the perfect time of year for making a hearty pot of delicious and healthy soups. yet i’m lacking inspiration.
I would like to win because I like soup, but have no idea how to make many of them.
love to win I always like making soup and trying diff recipes
I love soups! It is a nice way to use up leftovers from big family meals, it warms the house and heart! Just finishing some turkey soup for lunch today from our thanksgiving leftovers.
I would like to win as my family loves soup but i am in a soup rut!
Does excessive amounts of turkey ring a bell? Actually, I would like to win because there are certain vegetables I do not like but have been absolutely amazed by some soups served at restaurants or friends places that blew me away. I would love to learn to make these myself. For example, I hate squash served up on a plate, in all ways. Squash based soup I love.
I’d love to win to give this to my sister as she loves to experiment with making different kinds of soups.
I love soup. Unfact today a friends brought me home made soup. Her Mom who is 89 shitll makes it in Newfounland. It was wonderful. Nothing like I have ever had befroe
I am trying to be wheat free and would like some new soup recipes to try
pam w h
Would love to win – our whole family loves soup!
I love soup, especially now that it’s getting cold outside!
I’d like to win because I love soup and love trying new recipes.
I love making soups my kids really enjoy soup and I enjoy trying different recipes
I would like to win as homemade soup is my favourite!! I would love to try my hand at different types.
I would love to win as I love soup, make it homemade about 2-3 times per week, but always serarching for new recipes. And I a cookbook junkie.
This would be great to win because I love soup. I would make it every day if my family would let me get away with it!
Give me a bowl of homemade soup and some crusty bread & I’ve got a fast and easy meal – I’d love to add some new soups to my arsenal!
Soup is one of my favorite food and I love to make it! The perfect combination of taste and comfort food
It’s the season for soup…so i should learn how to make a really awesome one to wow my family.
We love soup, and it’s hard to get the broth to have the right amount of flavour
Homemade soup is my favorite home cooked meal
Would love to get some new soup recipies
I love making soup in the fall. I’m actually in a soup pool at work. Three of us take turns making a big pot of soup to share. I get to try different soups twice a month during the fall, winter season. I would love to win this to try making different soups myself to share.
I love making soup in the winter. I love the aroma’s in the house. I am always looking for new soup recipes, so this would be great.
Soup is one of my favourite things to make. It’s great to use up small amounts of leftovers & by making my own, the sodium content is next to zero.
Soup is a staple in this house any time of year, I think this would help me change it up and combine new flavour combinations to keep the family coming back for more 🙂
Soups are the best! I’m always ready to try making a new kind!
I love recipe books, and I am always looking for good soup recipes, especially in the winter.
Love to try out new recipes! Nothing better than soups in the winter!
I love soup. I would like to try some new recipes and this is the perfect time in the year to do so.
I would like to win because my husband loves soups and I don’t make soup, so this can get me into the groove of trying soups more.
Great meals for afterschool. Love trying new ideas/recipes.
I would like to win because I could use a few new soup recipes
I love making soup and I’m sure their is a lot of receipes that we would enjoy
we love making soup
Soups are great for the Fall & Winter seasons
I LOVE soup. NUff said.
Soup is one of those things I never seem to have luck with, maybe this book would help
It’s the perfect time of year (fall into winter) to make soup. This cookbook would be wonderful to create soup for family & friends!
always looking for new soup recipes 🙂
I’m on a soup kick, so this would be fabulous!
I would love to make this cause i am a soup making fiend! I love to created different types of soups and freeze them, since we work such odd hours it is great to always have premade soup in the freezer and ready to go when we walk in the house after working in the cold winter temps!
My girlfriends and I have started doing ‘soup swaps’ and I’m always looking for new ideas.
Would love this cookbook!! I have a handful of soups I make and am in need of more. Love home made soup!! Doesn’t get any better.
Hubby is the soup maker in our house (but I do make chicken broth a few times a year to justify my roast chicken addiction).
i love trying new recipes, and winter is perfect for soups
I would eat soups everyday if my family would let me.
I love homemade soups.
I love making soup but need more recipe ideas.
i love cooking and trying new recipes
I love soups, so that would be awesome!
Soups are my Families Favorite! I always make a couple of Homemade pots each week. It is a Quick healthy go to for all when we need a quick meal/snack. I am always looking for new Recipes. This contest is AWESOME! Thanks for the opportunity.
I love soup of all kinds! I can always use a few new recipes for fall/winter! 🙂
Soup is so easy to make! And we’re getting into soup season. Plus using leftover chicken to make broth – great idea!
We love soup! It would be great to get some new recipes and inspiration.
Thanks.
think soup is my favorite food! always like trying new recipes
Would love to win this as the winter is coming and would love to try new soups.
I entered your giveaway.
I want to win a copy of The Soup Maker’s Kitchen by Aliza Green because i don’t cook very often.
I usually just open a can and pop things in the microwave.
This book would come in handy so i can try new recipes to make some great soups.
Thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!!!
I love to try new soups and love soups this time of year
I’d like to win because I don’t know how to make homemade soup!
I love soups!!! would love to try a new one.
I like soup of all kinds.
Would love a recipe book on some homemade soups!!
I would love to win because I absolutely love to make and eat soups, and my family would love for me to make some new recipes this winter instead of the same “go to” ones I always use.
Would love to try this
I love all soups and wanna learn how to make more varieties.
I don’t have a soup recipe book and this one sounds great!
I would love to win because I love soup!
Love the idea of yummy warn soups with the colder weather just around the corner
I’d like to win to learn all the secrets of soup making.
I’d love to win a copy because I collect cookbooks- and actually use them!
I loooove soup! I even make it in he summer 🙂
I love cooking and I’m a cookbook addict! I enjoy trying out new recipes and would love a few new soups to add to my repertoire.
Soup is a wonderful comfort food and my mom always has some in her freezer ready in case someone drops by. I’ve been eating a lot of chicken noodle soup now that the weather has turned cold. After I counted 500 cookbooks on my shelves, I stopped counting. Sometimes I open up 3 at a time and make my own variation combining the best from each cookbook.
I love soup and am always looking for great soup recipes.
im a vegetarian and so many soups are meat based
I’d love to win the Soupmaker’s Kitchen as I love cookbooks. They are my favorite books. There’s nothing like a good bowl of homemade soup.
I’ve been wanting to expand my cooking horizons into soups for some time. Soup is just so comforting on a cold day.