Praise for the fully revised and updated Splendid Soups "Jim Peterson's Splendid Soups is a comprehensive and mouthwatering atlas of the world of soup. It not only covers soups of all nationalities and every garnish, but provides a handy list of sources for every hard-to-find ingredient and kitchen tool, too. More importantly though, through his gargantuan world tour Jim empowers home cooks to strike out on their own and invent new soups. It just makes me want to get into the kitchen and start cooking!" -SARA MOULTON Host, The Food Network's Cooking Live; Executive Chef, Gourmet magazine; Food Editor, Good Morning America "We love James Peterson. Splendid Soups is a bountiful source of enticing ideas!"-the moosewood collective Authors of the Moosewood Restaurant Cookbooks
Everyone loves soup, the world's most versatile dish. James Peterson's Splendid Soups, first published in 1993 and now updated, celebrates that fact with stunning comprehensiveness. Offering almost 300 tantalizing recipes ranging from the most pristine consommés to the heartiest peasant stews, the book also provides extensive technical information, tips, and serving suggestions that make it a true soup tutorial. The book's "ultimate goal," says Peterson, "is to give the reader the tools with which to invent," an aim he realizes with clarity, warmth, and precision. It's hard to imagine a cook who wouldn't embrace this authoritative yet companionable work.
The recipe range is vast. In 10 chapters that cover all the soup bases, including yogurt, bread, and fruit mixtures, Peterson offers an encyclopedic dish array. Among the entries new to this edition are Roast Garlic and Acorn Squash Soup, Thai-Style Hot and Sour Blue Crab Soup, and Dried Fruit Soup, a traditional Swedish specialty. Especially noteworthy is Peterson's introductory section on ethnic soups; a section offering strategies for reducing a soup's fat content (don't let meat broths boil, which homogenizes fat and liquid); and advice on what to drink with soup. With 40 color photos taken by the author, an equipment guide, and a useful chart for soup improvisation, the book is better than ever and a must-have for any kitchen library. --Arthur Boehm
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Yum:
This book is what every cookbook should be like. It has a great range of soups from all different areas. He has a lot of classics, but he also adds a lot of tips for variety to mix it up a little bit. His directions are very clear, which is really helpful for me since I'm a first time cook. Even if you're an experienced cook, though, it would be helpful because it provides instructions for how to make up your own soups. It got a James Beard Nomination, and I think that really speaks for itself.
Best soup book I've ever read/used:
This book is great. Take my word for it. Every one of the recipes I've tried has produced a great soup. Plus, there are pages upon pages of history, instruction, explanation, etc. -- which you can skip if you don't wish to read it, but which add to the understanding of what makes a great soup. One example: Spanish garlic soup. It literally takes less than 15 and produces a fine concoction for a winter evening. Well worth the price. This guy knows his stuff.
Learn to Make Stocks:
The most useful thing about this book is that it teaches you how to make a good stock. I can't tell you how much it has made a difference in my cooking. I do like the recipes in the book, but more often his techniques are being applied to other recipes vastly improved by my new ability to make a good stock. Once you get into the habit of making stock, you will be horrified at the thought of throwing away bones! Use them to make stock now, or freeze them and make stock later. The recipes are loose, but if... more info
Good compilation of recipies, but poor quality of each recipe..:
First of all I have to say that I am spanish and I am not writing in my mother tongue. So I have to apologise in advance for my poor English skills. When I read a review I like to know who write it in order to guess what he expected to find in the book and what sort of judgment he is going to give us. I am an Spanish Food Engineer. I am not a professional chef but, I dare say, I am an advanced amateur cook.
I read the cookbooks form cover to cover at least twice. I underlain it and even it... more info
