Comments on: On stewing, and soup

By: Rosiecat

Rosiecat — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:14:00 +0000

Yay for book tours! But oh, how sad for us Chicagoans that you aren’t scheduled to visit our city. Ah, well, you are a busy lady, so I won’t sulk for too long if the plan doesn’t change…but I will add that Chicago is the biggest city in the Midwest, and it’s a mighty fine food town. I also hear there are some excellent home cooks in the area 😉On a different note, I just wanted to tell you that upon your recommendation, I found Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird at the library, and it’s great! Very few books actually make me laugh out loud, but this one does, over and over again. So thank you for sharing–you have great taste!

By: Molly

Molly — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:23:00 +0000

Thanks, Rosiecat! I had completely forgotten about this post – and my mention of the “side project.” Ha! I’m so glad it’s not a side project anymore. 🙂I see that you’re in the Chicago area, right? So far, it doesn’t look as though my book tour – yep, I’m doing one! – will be taking me there, but if it does, I might just take you up on your offer…

By: Rosiecat

Rosiecat — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:43:00 +0000

The historian in me loves to read your older posts, Molly, and celebrate the great strides you’ve made with your then-“secret side project.” And the cook in me loves to bookmark recipes such as this one for welcoming fall into my kitchen. Come September, let us hope that this soup will be bubbling away on my stovetop!PS If you do a book tour, perhaps I might convince you to dine at my table with me? Am I being too forward? 🙂

By: Melanie

Melanie — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:05:00 +0000

Oh, my goodness! This is Friday soup! Our family has been making a version of this soup on Fridays for generations. It was fun to see it here! Your blog is lovely.

By: Molly

Molly — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:16:00 +0000

Aw, Lisa, I’m always so happy to hear from you. You’re just a joy – and I’m sorry for taking so long to reply and tell you so! I hope the soup hit the spot for you and your grandma…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 19:13:00 +0000

G'day, Molly! This is simmering on the stove for me and my grandma as I check in here, and the aromas and warmth wafting up from the stove are almost unbearable today, when the weather's turned suddenly decidely autumnal. It's been a long time since I've commented here -- but rest assured that I've not stopped reading Orangette or following your dependable delicious suggestions. I hope I can send a longer email or letter at some point not too far to let you know some of the wonderful ways your words and recipes have accompanied me these many months past -- there are some great stories!Until then, thanks for continuing to be so awesome and to bring me such joy here. Yum! And congrats on, among other things, the new look around here. I know what it's like to need to stir thngs up a bit.peaceLisa

By: Molly

Molly — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 05:47:00 +0000

Thank you, Leslie! It did feel awfully good to step back into the kitchen and make this soup. I felt so wonderfully calm when we sat down to eat - <>sigh<>, the magic of soup. Ann, how funny - this soup was supposed to have rice, just like yours, but I decided to use some little soup pastas from the pantry instead. It must be a Provençal thing, adding rice? Hmm. Your <>velouté de tomates<> sounds wonderful, with bacon and leeks and stock and wine! One to add to my list, no doubt...Soup therapy is my favorite kind of therapy, Lydia! Well, except for chocolate therapy, and ice cream therapy, and gin-and-tonic therapy, you know. Your idea for adding fennel sounds wonderful - next time, I will.Hannah, Brandon and I are luckily on the same wavelength about this: though both of us love, in theory, to cook with other people, we love even more to cook solo. So we do a little of both - we play sous chef to each other sometimes, and other times, we just stay out of the way. This is one of the many reasons why I love that guy: he just <>gets it<>.Wheresmymind, you and Steph sound a lot like me and Brandon. Happy cooking to both of you, together and separately!Lisa, you've got it - this soup is wonderfully soothing, from start to finish. Or, at least, I think so. Even the flavor is soothing somehow - it's mild for a tomato soup. At first, we thought it might be just so-so, but as soon as we sat down and started really tasting each mouthful, it was clearly a keeper. Very subtle, well balanced, and just wonderful.Shauna, ma cherie, I was thinking of you when I wrote this, and of our conversation about this very thing. I love that we are going through so many of the same thoughts and processes and changes together, my friend. I feel like one heck of a lucky lady.Aylin! So, <>so<> good to hear from you, and to hear that you and Steve are back in Seattle! When you get settled into your apartment, please drop me an e-mail and tell me more - what part of town are you in? Something tells me that you, me, Steve, and Brandon are going to have to meet up in the kitchen one night...Tokyoastrogirl, I am sorry to report that Brandon's sourdough pancakes <>do<> start from a fairly old starter, but hey, you know, I'd be happy to send you some. It's easy. Let's talk.Thank you, Emily.And thank you, other Emily! I hope tomato season comes soon to wherever you are...Lobstersquad, Brandon is pretty much my dream come true - no doubt about it! But, hmmm, I'll have to work on him about peeling shrimp. I'm not sure that he - being a sort-of vegetarian - is quite ready for it yet. BUT! He has recently declared that he wants to eat fish once a week, so things may change sooner than I think. He seared a mean filet of salmon last weekend...Aw, Lee, thank you! I do sometimes write about things that Brandon has cooked, but with your blessing, I might do so more often.Julie, it sounds as though you have a wonderful man there. I see from your blog that he is also quite good at picking the seeds from a pomegranate. You'd better keep him around!Oh yes, Lia, absolutely - I <>love<> being with a man who can cook, and who can rattle on endlessly, like me, about meals and menus and plans for a dinner party that hasn't even been given a date yet! I love it. But I also have to remember to make time for myself, alone, in the kitchen. It's been hard to do lately because I am in the midst of a big project, but I'm slowly learning what I need, and how to shoo Brandon away so that I can get it!Ann, if you'll believe it, Brandon bought this bowl at Goodwill while I was making this soup! We live about 7 blocks from an enormous Goodwill, and I call it his "home away from home." He has found us all sorts of amazing stuff - great old vintage Pyrex bowls like this one, a (new!) Calphalon 5-quart saute pan for $15, a 1950s kitchen table, a juicer...you name it. Goodbye, wedding registry; hello, Goodwill! For some things, at least.Oh Shari, I'm so glad. I hope you and Tom like the soup as much as we do. And, hey, about that cheese toast - what kind of cheese do you like to use?Ugly Gourmet, I hear you - the kitchen is, and has always been, the soul of my family. And I love that it will continue to be as I build a family with Brandon.Thanks, getzapped!J. Bo, you're wonderful! I had a busy morning, so I forgot to check the NY Times dining section - but then lo and behold, here you come with a spot-on link! Oh eggs, sweet, sweet eggs. Thank you, Jules.

By: jules

jules — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 05:32:00 +0000

I know what you mean about needing to cook to make something beautiful of an otherwise ordinary day….love the new look

By: J. Bo

J. Bo — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:11:00 +0000

Hey, Miss Molly…In case you missed it (and since you and Brandon are big on eggs, poached and otherwise), here’s Mark Bittman’s piece in today’s NYTimes:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/04/dining/04mini.html?_r=1&8nyh&emc=nyh&oref=slogin

By: getzapped

getzapped — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:50:00 +0000

I’ve been lookig for a good stew recipe and this looks awesome (and tasty too). And yes, great bowls!