500 Soups, by Susannah Blake

500 Soups, by Susannah Blake. ISBN 9781741105254 / ISBN 978-1-74110-525-4

Susannah Blake’s compendium 500 Soups is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-follow guide to creating warming soups for winter and chilled ones for summer, including broths, bisques, chowders, potages and consommes.

Susannah Blake  

Introduction to 500 Soups:

For as long as humans have been cooking food over a fire, soup has been eaten in one form or another - from the earliest, most basic broths left over from simmering ingredients in a pot of water to sophisticated concoctions, specially created to be served and eaten on their own. Soup is made and eaten all over the world, from Italian zuppa, German suppe and Balkan ciorba to Vietnamese sup, Persian shorba and Central Asian sorpa or shorpo. They all share a common texture characteristic, which is that they are all liquid dishes, usually served in bowls. The bulk of soups are cooked - usually meat, poultry, fish or vegetables simmered in stock - but you will also find uncooked soups, such as Spanish gazpacho and Middle Eastern-style yoghurt soups, for which uncooked ingredients are blended together to make a smooth soup. Soups may be light and clear, such as broth or consommé, rich and creamy, thick and substantial, or chunky and stew-like. Although they are usually savoury, there are also a few sweet soups, including those made with melon, cherry or pear. Sweet soups are generally served in small quantities. There are many types of soup and an almost infinite number of combinations of ingredients. The flavourings give each soup its own distinctive character. In their wonderful variety, soups can be eaten at almost any time of day, at any time of year. In Asia, they are often served for breakfast. Lighter soups made from vegetables can make a healthy snack between meals, while a more substantial soup can make a sustaining meal in a bowl. Soup is one of the classic first courses on Western menus, served before the main course. It is also perfect for a light lunch or even as a late-night snack before bed. In winter, soups can be fabulous warmers - warding off the seasonal chills - while in summer, chilled soups can be gloriously refreshing. Wholesome and comforting, plain or complex, sophisticated or simple, whatever kind of soup you're looking for, you're sure to find it here. Packed with delicious recipes and inspiring serving suggestions, this compendium proves that there really is a soup for every occasion.

This is an extract from the book: 500 Soups, by Susannah Blake.

Book title: 500 Soups
Author: Susannah Blake
Imprint: Lifestyle
Publisher: New Holland
London, UK 2007
ISBN 9781741105254 / ISBN 978-1-74110-525-4
Softcover, 16x16 cm, 288 pages, throughout colour photos