Although I've always been a fan of eating soup year-round [1], now that the weather has cooled down a bit, soup [2] is a regular part of my meal rotation. That was my logic behind acquiring Williams-Sonoma Soup ($16.95 [2]). To see my thoughts on the cookbook, .
Pros:
- Ingredient measurements include other measuring system equivalents: A recipe calling for dried black beans, specifies that 2 cups equals 14 ounces or 440 grams.
- In addition to a full-page picture, each recipe contains an added bonus: a tip with a corresponding picture, pertaining to the recipe.
- The back of the book has helpful information like stock recipes, basics of making soup, garnish options, a glossary, and an index.
Cons:
- The recipes are written in paragraph form, but could have been written in easier-to-follow steps.
- Helpful details such as cooking time or nutritional facts would have made a big difference.
Recipes: Some of the recipes call for gourmet ingredients that one may not typically have on hand, such as kombu seaweed flakes, tawny Port, or Thai red curry paste. I flagged the following recipes to make at home:
- Classics — New England Clam Chowder
- Simple Soups — Puree of Vegetable Soup, Broccoli-Leek Soup
- Dinner Party Soups — Three-Mushroom Soup With Sherry, Mussels Mariniere
- Winter Soups — Black Bean Soup With Salsa Crema, Provence-Style Fish Stew
- Chicken Soups — Avgolemono, Thai-Style Curried Chicken Soup
Imagery: The images are abundant and appetizing.
Overall Rating: I'm a huge fan of this book, which contains lots of staple soup recipes. If you're already a soup whiz with an expansive recipe collection, this book may not be for you, but if you're on the market for a soup cookbook, this affordable book could just be the one. Have you checked it out yet?