equipment list

You will need the following things for each soup in the book: a pot that holds at least 4 quarts a sharp knife a cutting board a ladle

You will need the following things to make some soups in this book: a whisk a blender (countertop or immersion) a wooden spoon or wooden spatula mixing bowls, varying sizes salt pepper bouillon or broth (chicken and vegetable are the most versatile) a head of garlic

It is helpful, but not required, to have the following things always on hand for soup. If you keep all of these things in your kitchen, you will always have what you need to make several excellent soups (at least one of which is in this book.)

2-3 onions fresh ginger some kind of vinegar dried mushrooms canned or dried beans peanut butter canned tomatoes small pasta olive oil dried herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme

esau's soup (red lentil soup)

Ingredients: red lentils (2 cups, or about a pound/400g) chicken or vegetable broth, (about 4 cups)

2 carrots

2 ribs celery

1 large onion (any color is fine) a large can of passata, crushed tomato

2-3 lemons cumin coriander olive oil, salt cayenne pepper or another hot pepper cilantro or parsley (optional) chop the carrot, celery and onion. pour 5-6 glugs of olive oil into the pot over medium heat. add carrots, onions, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt. cook for about 5 minutes, then add everything but the lemon and cilantro. simmer for 20-30 minutes, until lentils are thoroughly cooked. blend. then add salt and lemon juice until it tastes perfect to you. garnish with cilantro or parsley, if you want. tom kha

Ingredients: coconut milk, 1 can broth, 2 cups broccoli, 1 crown baby corn, 1 can bamboo shoots, 1 can a little carrot mushrooms, 3-5 white button mushrooms ginger, about half a thumb's worth, grated lemongrass paste fish sauce cilantro

1 lime

My Virtual Kitchen Family

When people register for soup class, I always ask why they're taking soup class THIS monthwhether it's their first or their fifteenth. This one was submitted by a soup class regular who was so dedicated to our little group that they would wake up at 3:30 a.m. Monday morning during the year they lived in Tokyo so they could join us on what was Sunday afternoon in the U.S.

"It gets harder to answer this every time, especially now, after so many months without it. It's Soup Class. It's my virtual kitchen family. I need three hours of multipot chaos and running out of chopping boards and laughter echoing off my walls from other kitchens across the world. And I'm especially grateful for it and consider it part of my extended queer-fam community around the winter holiday months in particular."

-- soup class regular Kim, aka "Tokyo Kim"