A Weekend for Soup

February 2014 seems like the longest month and we are only 2 weeks in.  Irv is solo in CT working on sanding and painting the walls and trim of one of the bedrooms.  Because of the snow I stayed in NJ with our dog Lewis - who has not helped one bit with the endless driveway shoveling.  And, with the prospect of more snow I thought the only sensible thing to do (alone on Valentine's Day) was to make soup.  

When it comes to my top ten favorite cookbooks (and I counted recently- I have 175 in my personal collection and another 150 for sale when we have room in the Studio), The Daily Soup is my go to book for soup.

 Soup making seems to run in the family as my Dad is a big 'soup man' so whenever I come across a soup cookbook in the thrift store I pick it up for him.  So far, nothing beats the recipes in this book (ok a close second are the Moosewood cookbook soups and the sublime Curried Cream of Chicken soup from the Silver Palate).  Organized by ingredients (grains, tomato, potato, lentils, etc) I like books that feature a prominent ingredient since I am usually looking to make something that I have in the fridge or freezer and don't want to waste (I did not live through The Depression but some how I picked up this waste not, want not trait).  Cuban Black Bean, Chicken Garlic Bread and Butternut Squash with Parmesan are a few favorites, but for winter I head for the barley soups - chicken and beef.  

Barley must be making a comeback.  Trying to find it in the grocery stores used to be quite a hunt.  Usually when I asked a clerk where it might be, more often than not they didn't know what it was or where to locate it.  But recently I have found that it is sold out.  What?  Who is hoarding the barley?  Now I am going to have to stock up to get through this snowy winter.  Yes, indeed, it felt like a chicken and barley weekend.  I will try to save some for Irv when he gets home Sunday, but I found out that Lewis likes chicken barley soup too.