No, there is no chicken stock in this soup. What you'll find here is page after glorious page of the loveliest, most delicious soups and stews - each and every one entirely vegetarian. Brimming with international flavors, Paulette Mitchell's easy-to-follow recipes are paired with unique accompaniments, garnishes, and toppings that add tremendous visual appeal. Witness hearty Pumpkin Stew baked and served in a pumpkin shell; classic onion soup updated with crunchy goat cheese toasts; and Spicy Sweet Potato Ancho Bisque swirled with bright Roasted Red Pepper Cream. From Mediterranean Saffron Stew to Greek Spinach and Orzo Soup, these colorful dishes are simple enough for every day, yet sophisticated enough for elegant dinner parties. Instructions for making tasty vegetable stock from scratch, a selection of delicious vegan soups, and a helpful "tips" section make this gorgeous cookbook an important addition to any kitchen where good food and good health are on the menu.
I learned of this book through Slashfood and it looked intriguing so I placed a hold for it at the library and was prepared to be underwhelmed.
Wow. I've now made several soups within (chestnut soup, black bean soup, wild rice-cranberry soup, with several others planned for the coming week) and each came out quite good and was very easy to prepare. What I like most about the book is it is quite easy to turn most of not all into vegan recipes so these soups should be able to be served at most any table-- vegetarian or not. Also most are quite easy to convert to being gluten-free if they aren't already.
The photos are beautiful and I enjoyed the the various cooking tips and quotes. I love the range of soups which give you something for most any day or night of the year. I really liked the layout -- it's easy to see the necessary ingredients at a glace and each step along the way. If things can be prepared ahead that is clearly marked out as well.
I think the highest thing I can say about it is it's migrated from just a library book to an item on my wishlist. I'm really enjoying cooking my way through it and do not look forward to the day I need to return it to the library. Hopefully soon a copy will land on my permanent cookbook shelf (note, that is not a hint to friends or family).
3.5 stars rounded up. This really is a cookbook full of beautiful bowls of soup. All of the recipes are plant based, and most can be easily vegaized. From simple and satisfying, to fancy enough to serve to company. Some nice little extras at the back, like Rosemary Shortbread. This cookbook is dated now, and I think its out of print.
Jessica RC will lead this discussion on Sunday, February 10, 2013, 2-3pm.
Each month we'll ask you to make two recipes from a designated cookbook: we'll choose the first recipe and suggest that you make it for yourself at home; you'll choose the second and bring it to share during our discussion. We'll meet to discuss both recipes and we'll have a potluck of tasty treats! Our recipe choice is Tortilla Soup on pages 76-77.
What a great selection for a cold, dreary and wet Sunday - soup! There were 5 participants and wouldn't you know - 2 of us made Moroccan Stew and 2 of us made Cashew Chili! The "renegade" brought Arborio Rice Soup. We found the book to be beautifully photographed with recipes that were very approachable for the home cook. We especially enjoyed Mitchell's tips and quotes - "Eat some, leave some; remember tomorrow." Jamaican Proverb
The Tortilla Soup, Moroccan Stew and Cashew Chili all got thumbs up. We thought the Arborio Rice Soup needed some more flavor.
We would recommend this cookbook to all soup lovers regardless of their preference for the meat or vegetable based variety.
Another cook-book bought in my attempt to eat healthier. This is a great vegetarian soup cookbook. I particularly love the cashew chili (as did my meat and potatoes Mom). Nothing bad out of this yet.
I enjoyed this collection for several reasons. it is well presented and diverse, it is vegetarian and i love soup. The stew chapter was my least favorite but still useful.
The cold weather always makes me crave a hot bowl of soup so I perused my library's shelves and pulled several soup books. It took me about a day to go through every single one, marking interesting, want-to-try-it recipes. This one had so many I might as well have put a sticky note on every page. :)
I can honestly say every single soup I tried in this book was freaking awesome. The taste combinations were delicious and the accompaniments raised the level of each one. They ranged from a snappy coulis to a wonderful mango salsa. I can't say anything I tried wasn't good. It was ALL good.
Stand out recipes: Black Bean Soup with Mango Salsa Mediterranean Chick Pea Soup with Red Pepper Coulis Tortilla Soup with toasted tortilla strips Sweet Potato and Ancho Chili Soup with Apple and Pecan Salsa
In my opinion, no soup cookbook can beat Anna Thomas's Love Soup. However, this one comes pretty close. It is very different from Love Soup, however. The recipes have less ingredients; they are less complicated to make; and they are just "good." In Love Soup, every recipe was amazing and delicious, but left the kitchen a mess and required me to spend so much on groceries. But A Beautiful Bowl of Soup is a good, solid cookbook full of uncomplicated vegetarian recipes. I will definitely turn to this cookbook for nights that I don't want to spend an hour or two in the kitchen!
A great vegetarian guide to various soups. As fall approaches I am always searching for new soups to warm up with on cold afternoons, this book not only gives you a variety of recipes, but shows you things like how to make your own vegetable stock without all of the unneeded additives you find in commercial stocks. While not all of the recipes were vegan there were a fair share of vegan ones, and easy ways to make the others vegan as well.
This is a nicely designed little book of soup recipes, divided into chapters that center around types of soups: creamy soups, chunky soups, chilled soups, etc. All are vegetarian, some are vegan. But most of them can be made vegan with the elimination of an ingredient, which the author indicates in a headnote. The recipes are creative, from scratch, and the instructions are easy to follow.
This small, paperback cookbook has a number of terrific recipes, with only one or two disappointments. My favorites are the Bell Pepper one and the Curried Carrot. This came in handy during those c-c-cold Iowan winters.
One of the BEST veggie soup cookbooks. Great for making lunches for the week. Lots of innovative recipes, great dessert soup ideas like Gingered Pear Soup and Strawberry Bonbon Soup, and great vegan recipes or substitutions. Still finding my favorite...
Somehow I ended up with this one twice! Unfortunately, I make so many impromptu soups that writing down a recipe and shopping list is just too laborious.
The soup on the cover is wild rice and cherries. Yum.
This book has some good ideas for twists on old favorites, but the recipes only work if you live in an area where fresh and sometimes more esoteric ingredients are regularly stocked.