It's Soup Month!

Winter has arrived in force here in Boston, with frigid air, harsh winds, and 4:30 sunsets. Spring isn't quite around the corner, and summer is a distant memory. Fortunately, there's a simple way to make the cold go away for a little while: a fresh steaming bowl of homemade soup.

Soup's one of the great simple pleasures of home, and it starts with a good stock. There's obviously stock available at every grocery store in the city, but there's a great satisfaction to making your own. The best part is, all you need is a nice robust stockpot. Next time you roast a chicken (or, if feeling fancy, a duck), keep the bones! Toss them in the pot, add some aromatic veggies (celery, onions, carrots, etc.), a good spice blend, and cover the whole deal in water. Bring it to a good boil and let it simmer all day, topping off the water every so often. The house will warm up and smell delightful all day, and you'll have the base for any number of great soups.

But what soup to make? And what tools will you need to make it?

We've already got the stockpot, but another great option, especially since you can use it for roasts, richer stews, and even bread-baking, is a Dutch oven! Nothing heats as well as cast iron, and a lovely enameled cocotte is also a great piece for tabletop service. If you're making a smooth soup like a tomato bisque or vichysoisse, an immersion blender is a must. And what proper soup-maker doesn't have a good wooden spoon for stirring (and defending the pot from anyone trying to sneak an early taste)?

As for what soup to make, there are as many different soups as there are cooks, but two of our favorites during the cold months are avgolemono, a rich and creamy Greek lemon-chicken soup, and caldo verde, a Portuguese soup with kale, potatoes, and linguiça. Both are simple, warming, and incredibly flavorful. Serve them with a fresh loaf of crusty bread (this olive oil-rosemary boule is a constant in our kitchen), and dream about spring sunshine and warm breezes.

Happy cooking!