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Welcome to Minnie's Soup Kitchen

Well, this is it - my first blog. I'm paying homage to the film Julie and Julia, but going for a lower level of achievement than Julie. My chosen recipe book is The Soup Book published by Dorling Kindersley in 2009 and I hope to try out at least one soup recipe a month in 2010.
I bought the book from a book seller who occasionally drops sample books into my office, leaves an order form and comes back a fortnight later to fill the orders. At each sample drop-off, my colleagues and I paw the books. The childless ones complain about the number of children's books and everyone swears they're never buying another cookery book, but we always renege.
The Soup Book contains over 200 recipes so I'll have plenty of choice. There is a handy table showing when "British-grown" vegetables are in season (I live in Ireland but am happy enough to go along with this term). My husband and I are old enough to remember when vegetables were available only in season but are well accustomed to buying everything whenever we want. Anyway, my plan is to use only those vegetables that are in season when I cook the soups.
My first choice of recipe was spinach and rosemary soup, which I made for our starter course on Christmas day, 2009. The ingredients include butter, onion, potato, vegetable or chicken stock, milk and cream, as well as the eponymous items. My spouse had made and frozen chicken stock a few days earlier and I took a sprig of rosemary from the garden. Our blender nearly failed us, but the processor saved the day. Preparation and cooking time took less than an hour. Everyone enjoyed it - even the picky child!

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