9/14 Soup’s On!

            Soup is pretty easy. Throw a few things in a pot, heat and consume. If you are really feeling fancy about it you can toss it all in a blender and let it spin for a while until you are bored of the blender noise and too hungry to wait. That is what I thought until today.

            Soup is so much more than tossing things in a pot. Soup is, in my VERY limited –as in 5 days of class- experience, the best way to show your true kitchen chops. Soups highlight the finesse and flavor you are able to pull out of food to make the most sublime thing imaginable. The difference between throwing in raw onions, caramelizing them or browning them will make the difference between a dish that is harsh, bitter, overly sweet or just right.

            This process is not something that can be found on a page. It is true that all the measurements need to be right… ish. In the clam chowder, for instance, had we gotten double the amount of salted clam stock it would have changed the dish entirely. Fudging a little to make it to taste is one thing. But using what you know, the knowledge of how you really want it to come out and the wisdom to put it all together really makes a soup.

            Soup is just another example of the need for me to build up techniques so I can perfect and execute not only something delicious but something intentionally delicious that I can control because I knew every step of the way, how to get there.

I am proud of how well we are working as a team. Clean up was a breeze today and I finally feel like we are getting along.

I should work on my techniques.

Take a ways

·      Soup can be amazing. Give it a chance.

·      Having good stock is a foundational item.

·      Use rosemary sparingly.