National Soup Month

Traditionally, "chowder" is considered a catch-all word for a variety of seafood and vegetable soups, but several regions have their own spin on the classic dish, perhaps most famously known for featuring clams. In honor of National Clam Chowder Day, we thought we'd offer a rundown of the most popular chowders across the US, from classic New England clam chowder to San Francisco's cioppino fish stew.

• Boston — New England Clam Chowder: Made with chopped clams, potatoes, and onions, this classic chowder is known for having a heavy cream base. For a healthier clam chowder recipe, use almond milk, rice flour, and celery seeds.
• New York — Manhattan Clam Chowder: For this variety of fish stew, tomatoes replace the milky cream base. There are also no potatoes, so the seafood sits in a much thinner vegetable broth.
• Rhode Island — Rhode Island Clam Chowder: In addition to its traditionally clear broth, quahogs (hard clams) and bacon set this chowder spin-off apart.

Keep reading for more types of chowder.

National Soup Month is still going strong and these soup-filled dumplings from coltkels are perfectly relevant, and sound incredible.

I have an intense love for dumplings. You will rarely ever find a time when I am not craving them. My favorite dumpling place is in downtown Sydney so I couldn’t think of a better time to plan a visit for myself and my friend, who had never tried them. I originally found this place because my favorite magazine, Time Out Sydney, rated them ‘the best dumplings’ in Sydney and I had to find out. Let me tell you they weren’t only the best dumplings in Sydney but the best dumplings I have ever had, and my opinion didn’t change the second time around.

For more on the story of soup dumplings, visit her blog, and upload your awesome food photos and stories to our Savory Sights community group.

Clear-broth soups are delicious in their own right, but sometimes we just want something a little heartier and more indulgent. Cream-based soups are pretty simple to put together, but you can incorporate different elements — grains, lighter dairy products, or cruciferous vegetables — and end up with a delightfully creamy soup that doesn't actually contain a pint of cream.

1. Add a cup of almond milk to your recipe, as seen here with this lighter take on clam chowder.
2. Toss in some steamed cauliflower and mash or blend everything together.

Four more different ways to thicken up your soups, when you keep reading.

It's still National Soup Month, and we're really thankful to hayleysf for posting this colorful, flavorful soup recipe.

This soup is a one-pot meal that's healthy and great for leftovers. Pair with a salad for an easy weeknight meal.

For the recipe, visit her blog. Then come back and upload your favorite soup recipes into our Savory Sights community group.

Until I watched Anthony Bourdain order green borscht from a restaurant in Ukraine, I had only ever thought of the soup as bright purple and made of beets. Considering it's National Soup Month, I set off on a culinary mission to learn as much as I could (in a couple of hours) about borscht. Here's what I learned in a nutshell.

Borscht originated from the trimmings of Winter vegetables, particularly beets, which were stored in a kettle outside during the cold months. They were then cooked up and turned into borscht after the first Spring thaw. The most popular rendition of borscht is a purple, beet-based soup that hails from Ukraine, although it's quite popular in many Eastern European countries. There are, however, several variations on the soup, including recipes that don't include beets at all! Orange borscht is tomato-based, and green borscht's main ingredient is sorrel leaves.

Borscht can be served both hot and cold. Hot borscht can feature hearty vegetables, like potatoes and cabbage. Meat may or may not be added depending on preference. Cold borscht has a creamy appearance because it is mixed with sour cream or kefir during its preparation. It's traditionally served with black bread (also called rye bread).

Do you have a favorite type of borscht?

Source: Flickr User Istelleinad

A good stock is the key ingredient which great soups are built upon. Whether you make your own stock at home or use store bought versions, the foundation of flavors provided by the stock is what keeps soups from being bland and uninteresting. Having stock on hand is really convenient if you're ever in a pinch for a quick meal. Grab the whatever leftover vegetables you have in your refrigerator, toss in some meat if you like, and you've got a heartwarming (and nutritious) meal in no time at all.

Homemaking stock is a simple and great way to make your leftover chicken carcass useful (and I love to find a purpose for seemingly useless items). Homemade chicken stock takes hours to make (a great weekend project idea) but the result is well worth the effort. Homemade vegetable stock takes much less time and is an important ingredient for vegetarians; it's so rewarding to make yourself. Stock freezes well and is easy to defrost making it easy to store and use.

A few basic stock-making tips include cooking the ingredients with cold water (to extract the collagen) and skimming off any scum in meat stocks. If you want to remove fat from your stock, cool it and spoon of the solidified fat that collects on top.

Do you have any stock tips that you swear by?

Source: Flickr User FotoosVanRobin

Did you know January is National Soup Month? It seems fitting as the weather is getting quite cold, and we find ourselves craving piping hot, savory soups of all kinds.

A soup is characterized by meat and/or vegetables cooked together in stock, water, or some other kind of a liquid. There are hot soups, cold soups, and even dessert soups. Traditionally, there are two classifications of soup: clear and thick. Clear soups consist of things like bouillon and consommés, whereas thick soups include bisques, chowder, and cream soups. Then there are stews, which are similar, but stews tend to be thicker. Soup is an important dish all over the world and each culture has their own version that resonates highly with the people. There are plenty of soups that reportedly have healing (and even lucky) properties!

Some of our current favorite soups include cream of mushroom, chestnut soup, and homemade chicken noodle soup (no cold or flu necessary). Stay tuned, as we'll be talking all things soup this month, from regional recipes to soup's role in pop culture. What's your favorite soup?