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- Nestled in northeastern Connecticut’s Mountain Laurel-studded woodlands, Still River Café is one of the best restaurants in all of Connecticut. Situated on the bucolic 27-acre North Ashford Farm, Executive Chef Kara Brooks creates seasonal menus with fresh, imaginative dishes that evoked reverent enjoyment and sensory delight. Her husband Robert lovingly grows vegetables and herbs nearby the beautifully restored 150-year old barn in a sun-dappled spot on the edge of the woods. It's a most magical culinary experience.
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- 2009 Award-Winning Recipe!
A second-time top award winner, Karen told us that this signature soup of hers was just fabulous, and it is. An avid gardener, American antique specialist and animal lover, Karen’s cooking is inspired by special weekend getaways to fine seasonal restaurants and quaint inns with her husband Gary and friends. -
- This is one of our favorite winter soups. The sweet, creamy texture and flavor of Butternut Squash make this bisque velvety-rich without the addition of too much cream. If preferred, vegetable stock may be used in place of chicken stock and blanched Asparagus spears may be floated in place of shrimp. So nice in front of a crackling fire with a crusty baguette.
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- Dan Barber and Mike Anthony
Blue Hill Restaurant
75 Washington Place
New York, NY 10011
Blue Hill
This jewel of a neighborhood restaurant, on a quiet street in Greenwich Village, has received national attention for its warm atmosphere, excellent service and superb food. The menu reflects the chef’s passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients from local sources, including the Barber family farm in Great Barrington, MA, for which the restaurant is named. For reservations, call (212) 539-1776. -
- Alice Waters, Chef/owner
Chez Panisse
Berkeley, California
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- Jo-Anne van den Berg-Ohms
John Scheepers * Bantam, CT
When summer Corn is at its peak, there is nothing better than this long time favorite~now, or over the winter. To prep the corn for winter soup making, cook the cobs for 5 minutes, dip them in an ice bath, remove the kernels from the cobs, scraping down to catch as much of the Sweet Corn "milk" as possible. Freeze the corn in 2 cup portions. The crab can be switched to bite-sized pieces of shrimp or lobster if you like. -
- Jo-Anne van den Berg-Ohms
John Scheepers * Bantam, CT
This is one of our favorite comfort soups for the fall and winter. It has a velvet-creaminess and a luscious essence-of-leek taste that everyone seems to love. The onion and shallot give it a deeper, more resonant taste topped off by the homemade croutons and chopped chives. -
- Vegetarian Fast and Fancy
by Renny Darling
Celebrating the rich diversity of vegetables and aromatic herbs, this cookbook provides recipes that are quick and easy. The basic premise is to create delicious, healthy meals with minimum effort and in the least amount of time. This easy soup is refreshing and full of summery flavor. Royal House Publishing (available at www.amazon.com) -
Our favorite restaurant in the Netherlands is Restaurant De Moerbei in Warmond (near Lisse) where our Dutch colleagues have treated us to the most amazing evenings of chef wizardry, magical tastes and happy conversation. We always take an appreciative yet fleeting look at the menu, glance around at one another, and make a unanimous decision to go with the chef’s tasting menu. Each surprise course transforms me into a child opening the most wanted present on the best birthday ever.
This May, we were lucky enough to be there again. It is such a warm, inviting space with charming staff who didn’t mind that I took photos of each magnificent offering. My first weekend back home, I did my best to replicate their Cucumber Ginger Gazpacho festooned by miniature orbs of cucumber-ribboned goat cheese around a little island of tuna tartare topped with fried shrimp. I hope that you find my version of their inspiring verdant gazpacho as smooth and spice-silky as I found theirs. (While I tackled the tuna tartare, my version still needs work before passing it along to you.)
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A rich, wonderful meal all with a bit of bread, there is nothing quite like classic Dutch Mustard Soup. Unable to find a traditional recipe, we made up our own and hope that you enjoy its tangy bite and creamy texture. (We bring home real Groningen Mustard from Abraham's Mustard Mill but you can also purchase good Dutch mustard, De Echte Zaanse Mosterd, from The Dutch Epicure at www.dutchepicure.com.) Of course, it is wonderful if you like to make your own mustard from mustard seed. Eet smakelijk!
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.A Spanish Gazpacho usually has Tomatoes in it, but here’s one you can make even if yours aren’t ripe yet. Or if you don’t like the look of green and red together. Or if you’re just ready for a change.
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