Souper Sundays

While in a cute little bookstore in Seattle, I was wooed by yet another cookbook, Sunday Soup. I love it for a few reasons. First, Chronicle Books could sell a book about model airplanes or stamp collecting and I'd still want to buy it--they have a knack for making everything look good.

Second, not only is there a full year's worth of soup recipes, but the kicker is the quick-view "Soup Calendar"--basically a table of contents, organized by season. Love it! If there's something I need help with, it's figuring out how to eat in-season. (Feel free to laugh at the Bay Area in-season produce chart on my fridge.)

Finally, the photos are mouth-watering, the instructions seem clear, and she even provides instructions on making homemade stocks (scary!).

It probably doesn't hurt that I'm currently reading Julie & Julia, a memoir about a 29 year old woman who's bored with life and decides to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year--after blogging that she would. While 524 hard-core french recipes sounds like my own personal version of torture, 52 Sundays of soup is something I can handle! (Maybe. Minus busy weekends. And our wedding/honeymoon. Of course.)

The fact that this provides an excellent weekly excuse to convince Raf to bake fresh bread helps too. I'll start with that nag next weekend.

So, on the first Sunday of the new year, Raf and I whipped up the Cold Weather Potato Chowder with Caraway Cheese soup on pg. 59. Except our Havarti was dill flavored instead of caraway seed-filled. Whatever. The verdict: yum, yum, yummy! It was quick, easy to make and super satisfying. I think the bacon is the clincher. However, note to self: cut potato chunks smaller next time.

The final perk--cooking on Sundays provides regular opportunities for Kitchen Dancing, my most favorite pastime. Is anyone else in love with Sugarland's Very Last Country Song right now? I can't get enough.