Hellomy Foodie Friends!
During my childhood, my grandmother’s kitchen was always full of people, laughter, and the aroma of delicious food. I have wonderful memories of the whole family getting together at her house for regular Sunday dinners and holiday meals, and of me and my four other siblings standing at her kitchen table while she taught us how to make some of her magical dishes. I think what I have taken away from these memories is that food brings people together. For many of us, some of our greatest influences for our love of cooking comes from those we watched cook and make our food memories. When I ate my grandmother’s food, I knew in my heart that food was her way of showing love. Among the foods I looked forward to includes her soup. Her soup would be the “fix” for so many things like helping me to feel better when I was sick, or just simply to give me the comfort with the soul-filling flavors and scents that I needed. Helping my grandmother was a task that was given to the “older” grandchildren. My grandmother was a very small woman and needed assistance carrying the large pot of soup to the table. I can still visualize her using a large spoon as she would stand on her tip toes to view and stir her soup.
There are a variety of cooking vessels you can make your soup in such as a soup pot, stock pot, or a dutch oven. We carry a multi use pot called a Multipot. The multipot includes an 8-quart stainless steel stock pot, pasta insert, streamer insert and lid. This multipot can be used to steam vegetables or as a pasta strainer among many options. We carry the multipot by VIKING which is perfect for all cooking methods, including induction. The 3-Ply Stainless Steel-clad construction of the multipot combines three layers of metal to create one solid piece that is formed into the vessel, making the pot extremely responsive to changes in heat.
Another useful tool in making soup is a soup sock. You can fill these cotton mesh bags with your favorite herbs and ingredients for flavoring stocks and soups. The finely woven material holds delicate herbs or expands to accommodate everything from bones to chopped vegetables. When cooking is complete, simply remove the bag – no need for straining! They are made of strong, 100% fine cotton mesh. The soup sock comes in a large size to accommodate all sorts of flavoring ingredients, from bones and whole vegetables to herb leaves. They will not impart odors or flavors into soups or stocks. The best part is that they help with a mess-free cooking – no need for straining. The packets of soup socks come in sets of three and they are made in the USA.
Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Pl., to find the items you need to assist with making your favorite heartwarming soup. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”
Take Care, John & Paula
