Soups for Sydney

All of us have our own “comfort food”.  It’s whatever food we associate with making us feel better.  For some, it’s a Big Mac. But for me, it is any kind of soup. My sister Melissa’s comfort food, as strange as this may sound, is elbow macaroni covered in a can of stewed tomatoes.  My depression-era Illinois-raised mother fed us this quite often as I believe it to have been her comfort food as well.  If I added a bit of broth, could I classify this as a soup?

I can’t resist a steaming pot of hot soup. As such, my favorite thing to make it in is a 7.5 quart porcelain covered cast iron stock pot.  Mine is red. Coming in as my second and third favorite kitchen appliances for soup making are the Instant Pot and my Vita-mix due to their versatility.

​Soup has never been just an appetizer.  I much prefer it as my main event and when served in sourdough bread… it’s heaven in a bowl.

 When my daughter Mandolin was little, her best friend was Sydney.  As such, Sydney ate in our home quite often.  I made soup quite often. Good thing Sydney and soup got along. Now that Sydney is married (May 2021), the following soup recipes are dedicated to her.  Along with the recipes, I have given Sydney and her husband Caleb their very own Lodge stock pot. The best soup starts with the best pot.

When I get a hankering for soup in a hurry, I am much like my father.  I just peek in the refrigerator and make a batch from whatever looks good.  I affectionately call this OAR soup (Once Around the Refrigerator).

​Favorites?  I have several.  But to name a few off the top of my head… Clam Chowder, Butternut Squash Coconut Curry, Minestrone and let’s not forget Hot & Sour.