Soup Of The Evening

On these chilly winter evenings I like to have a pot of soup bubbling away on the stove. Eating it warms us up, the long duration of cooking time warms up the kitchen and the smell when you walk into the house is fantastic. It gets pretty cold in my house and sitting over a big bowl of delicious hot soup is a rewarding experience. Here are three soups that I will definitely repeat throughout the winter months. I try to cook what is seasonally available and what my body seems to be asking for.



I call this one ‘Golden Chicken Soup’. Pumpkin, carrots and a smidge of tomato paste give it a wonderful rich golden color. It’s pretty thick, almost a stew and it’s got a big pinch of thyme in it.



This is an Asian inspired soup. Make any broth, I use chicken or miso but veg would certainly work. Add some wide noodles, I used egg noodles here. Then have an assortment of cooked veggies, meat, hard boiled eggs, whatever you happen to have on hand. Also offer some condiments, a chutney, grated ginger, or a squeeze of citrus. I especially like a dab of garlic chili paste with mine. When I am feeling run down or someone in the house is under the weather this is good medicine.



The recipe for this one was called ‘Winter Vegetable Soup’. Of course I tweaked it a bit to use up whatever vegetables I had on hand. I think it originally called for parsnips and rutabaga, but I didn’t have those. What I did have was pumpkin, zucchini, carrots and potatoes. There is milk in it and lots of garlic. I served this soup with two kinds of bread, one topped with cheddar cheese and one with cinnamon apples.


In Alice in Wonderland The Mock Turtle sings the song ‘Beautiful Soup’. It is a funny parody based upon a popular song of the time. The original song is called ‘Star of the Evening’.

Soup Of The Evening
by Lewis Carroll

Beautiful Soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Beau - ootiful Soo - oop!
Beau - ootiful Soo - oop!
Soo - oop of the e - e - evening,
Beautiful, beautiful Soup!
Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
pennyworth only of beautiful Soup?
Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup?
Beau - ootiful Soo - oop!
Beau - ootiful Soo - oop!
Soo - oop of the e - e - evening,
Beautiful, beautiful Soup!