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Published October 8, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
The first time I tried to make soup from scratch, I warmed some chicken broth from a carton, then threw in chopped carrots, peas, green beans and precooked alphabet pasta. I think I may have sprinkled grated parmesan cheese on top. It was better than soup from a can, but it wasn’t very good. My kids ate it — they’ll pretty much eat anything that involves pasta — but I knew I could do better.
Luckily for me, Abbey Duke — Sugarsnap owner and Burlington Children's Space parent extraordinaire — offered to bring me into her prep kitchen and teach me a few tricks of the trade. That’s where I learned about the magic of mirepoix, the French technique of cooking down finely chopped onion, celery, carrots and sometimes aromatic herbs to start a soup or stew. She also introduced me to the idea of slowly simmering veggies in broth or water and pureeing them with butter and cream. After my session with Abbey, I felt much more confident in my soup-making skills and started brainstorming great soups I'd had in the past that I could try to recreate.
Over the years I’ve tasted various spins on a beautifully colored, slightly spicy butternut squash soup. I decided that making my own version would be a good place to start.
Luckily for me, Abbey Duke — Sugarsnap owner and Burlington Children's Space parent extraordinaire — offered to bring me into her prep kitchen and teach me a few tricks of the trade. That’s where I learned about the magic of mirepoix, the French technique of cooking down finely chopped onion, celery, carrots and sometimes aromatic herbs to start a soup or stew. She also introduced me to the idea of slowly simmering veggies in broth or water and pureeing them with butter and cream. After my session with Abbey, I felt much more confident in my soup-making skills and started brainstorming great soups I'd had in the past that I could try to recreate.
Over the years I’ve tasted various spins on a beautifully colored, slightly spicy butternut squash soup. I decided that making my own version would be a good place to start.
This article was originally published in Seven Days' monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
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