Comments on: Dirt-cheap root soups that clean up nice

By: Holiday Recipes Roundup: Thanksgiving | Umami Girl

Holiday Recipes Roundup: Thanksgiving | Umami Girl — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:29:52 +0000

[...] Celery Root and Apple Soup here on Umami Girl [...]

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:28:25 +0000

Sarah, thanks for the recommendation. Sounds like a nice approach to bread that people might actually be able to use, even if they have, say, jobs, kids, or the need to cut off all their hair and hop a flight to Berlin in the middle of the night. I’ve also noticed that bread making seems to appeal to a lot of men, which, of course, makes it all *sorts* of attractive for bread-eating women as well!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:38:37 +0000

I smell my stock cooking away as i write this…These recipes sound great!
A great addition to a great bowl of soup, in my opinion, is a great bread. My husband’s colleague gave us “Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking” that he wrote!! At this point, I have only made the “Master Recipe”, but I can tell you it is SUPER easy (and quick!) to make and tastes VERY good. Once you make the base recipe (takes me about 6 min), let it cool in the fridge, cut off a piece (makes 4 loaves), let it rest for 40min, cook it for 30 min, and you have a great fresh loaf of Artisan bread without going to the bakery and spending money! Very easy, very cheap….. They have many receipes in the book that elaborate on the master recipe, but it sticks to the “easy” aspect. The book can be found on Amazon.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:57:03 +0000

Hi Frida, in theory I make my own stock for lots of reasons (including your all-soups-taste-the-same thought – that’s a great way to say it) but in reality, that happens maybe once or twice a year. I don’t have any amazing secret alternatives, but here’s an official looking bullet-pointed list of the mediocre options I typically use:

- When I’m really in the mood to care, I sometimes use Fresh Direct’s stock that they make in-house. It’s good, but at about $3/pint, it’s also borderline offensive.

- Typically I just look for brands without additives or an aftertaste and leave it at that (highest standards, I know). I’ve found Pacific to be pretty good for everyday cooking, with the added bonus that it’s often available at BJs on the cheap. It does have hints of garlic, and, inexplicably, a little sweetness to it, so if you’re really after homemade taste, it won’t be what you’re looking for.

- Whole Foods also has a decent house brand, which is on the lighter side in terms of flavor and body.

- Occasionally I’ll fortify soups (and sauces) with D’Artagnan Duck and Veal Demi-Glace, which you can find in the freezer section of many of the smaller markets around here.

If anyone else has good suggestions, I’d love to know what they are!

By: Frida Noren

Frida Noren — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:26:00 +0000

Sounds yummy, especially in this cold weather!
How about the chicken stock? Which brand do you recommend, or do you make your own?
I have failed to find a tasty one, with full “body” but still fairly neutral. The salty and overly seasoned ones make all my soups taste the same. Any tips?