Soups and Stews Books

I found this book not only beautiful in its illustrations, but each and every soup receipe is mouth watering delicious!

i ordered this on 7/17/07 to date i am still waiting for this book. what is the problem?????????????????i see that the monies for this has
already been deducted from my account. i either want the book or a refund
this is the first time i have had a problem. i hope you can resolve this
issue. i really wanted this book and hope it is still available. thank
you for your immediate attention to this matter
trish hine

This book has over 200 recipes. I have used many of the recipes and enjoyed most of them. I have given copies of the book to friends and other friends have chosen to buy this book after seeing it at my home. It is an essential book in my cooking book library.

This is a very good collection of a few classic and quite a few not so classic soup recipes which are easy to follow and are accompanied by glossy color photos. You will also find a few garnishing ideas to give some extra dimension and flair if you want to impress your guests. Well worth the price

When the days become long, the body becomes lethargic and even the tar is beginning to melt, the last place one wants to be is in a hot kitchen. Summer is the season for quick, light meals that don't take a lot of time, but restore your energy. But if you do have to get into the kitchen, rather than throwing together the customary salad, how about a bowl of soup after that dip in the pool?

Consulting editor Debra Mayhew has combed the four corners of the globe to bring together a collection of wonderful recipes in The Soup Bible.

Stirring in tips for making stock, garnishes, and notes on how to pick the best ingredients, these soups are designed not just for summer, but those occasions that call for something special, as well as those chilly winter nights when all you want to do is curl up with a good book and a warm hearty bowl:

Light and Refreshing: Gazpacho (the ultimate in summer soups), Vichyssoise, Summer Tomato Soup, Watercress and Orange Soup (what an interesting combination)

One-Pot Meal Soups: Seafood and Sausage Gumbo, Spinach and Lemon Soup with Meatballs (traditionally known in Greece as Avgolomono without the meatballs), and Creole Shrimp

Hearty Lunch and Supper Soups: Lentil Soup with Rosemary, Italian Arugula and Potato Soup, Pistou (a scrumptious French vegetable soup), and New England Clam Chowder

Special Occasion: Butternut Squash Bisque, Tomato and Fresh Basil Soup, Spinach and Rice Soup (a nice and sneaky way for parents to add a vegetable in a meal for those picky-eater kids) and Saffron-Mussel Soup.

The book is full of exquisite, mouth-watering photographs and even the soup bowls both rustic and elegant are beautifully displayed.

With over 200 recipes to prepare for friends and family, it's a world tour of soups.

Fresh bread required.

This is unique in gift giving and making gifts for others. I have tried most of the recipes and find them quite delicious.

Item arrived quickly and in great shape. Very professional business relations. I would recommend this buyer and this book.

When I retired from teaching high school, I made gift jars for 11 support staff people who made my job easier - secretaries, guidance staff, attendance office staff, etc. They were thrilled. My favorites are Creamy Cheese Soup and Cheesy Potato Soup. I decorated the lids with circles of fabric and attached the recipe cards with raffia. Easy to do and a nice way to say thanks for 33 great years!

I like to give these soup gifts in a jar to expecting parents just before the baby arrives so they have a ready-to-go homemade meal on hand. I also add a California Corn Bread jar to go with the soup. I also like to include the canned items that need to be added like canned tomatoes, chicken, etc. to make it as easy as possible for them. These jars would make a great welcome gift to a new neighbor or to someone with a cold or recovering from the flu or other illness. I think it's just such a unique gift that is very useful and tasty, too!

All these In a Jar books are great. Need a gift for anyone or everyone - these are super suggestions.

It takes more work (have your butcher cut the chicken) but people you never even knew will be begging you for some of your "famous" chicken noodle soup

This is a wonderful book because it highlights the science and deterministic nature of good cooking. They first suggest some basics for your kitchen, aiming to be practical and spending only where it truly makes a difference.

Next, is a foundation of beef, chicken, vegetable and seafood stock recipes. I enjoy reading these because they're very methodical in trying to understand how to best do things, often suggesting short cuts where "20% of the effort results in 90% of the flavor." There's clearly substantial trial and error, but nice summary of what worked and didn't.

I was especially delighted to see they covered a variety of international cuisines, including Thai and Indian curries (from scratch!), borscht, miso, boullabaisse, minestrone, and gazpacho.

This is easily a "must have" for the creative cook.

I used to think "The Daily Soup" was the last word in preparing and making soups and stews, but it pales in comparison to this thoughtful, well executed volume. Everything about the Cook's Illustrated book series impresses. The production values are first rate, the research is superb, and the writing walks the fine line between prose and tech. I commend Mr. Kimball on his singular vision. It results in books like this one that make cooking a real pleasure for a moderately skilled cook like me. This book is a must have for every kicthen!

In all of their books and magazines, the editors of ?Cooks Illustrated? should have a qualifier stating on which criteria their ?Best? judgment is made. My general experience with their writings is to find that they typically look for the fastest recipe which makes the fewest compromises with taste and which does not cost an unusually large amount of money. Although, it is clear from these recipes that these criteria do not keep it from naturally long procedures such as stock making or expensive basic equipment such as heavy stockpots. It is also clear that these priorities can avoid some longer methods that are needed to achieve the very best taste.

One important question about this book is how well it rates compared to other ?Cooks Illustrated? Best Recipe volumes. In general, I find little to distinguish one from the other except to say that this volume has the virtue of gathering together similar preparations such as the Chinese egg drop soup and the Italian Straciatella, a measure they have not always taken in other volumes, as when brioche and challah are done in two different recipes separated by several dozen pages.

While ?Cooks Illustrated? is commonly very modest about their findings and recipes, the presumption that these culinary journalists and journeyman cooks are coming up with insights which have escaped master chefs is pretty far fetched. The other side of the coin is that different chefs have different methods, and different cuisines have different approaches to the same technique. Witness the difference between French, Swiss, and Italian meringue. But, that doesn?t mean one meringue is always better than another is. An issue more relevant to the book at hand is stock making. The editors choose a saute method for browning meat and vegetables in their stocks, where most recipes brown meat and vegetables in the oven. This decision influences their recommendations of a stockpot, where they suggest a heavy stainless steel or enameled iron pot. The problem with this is that while an 8-quart pot of these metals may be manageable and affordable, a 12 or 16 quart pot is a different kettle of fish entirely. It is much heavier and it is much more expensive.

Many recommendations for a large stockpot are for aluminum or light gage stainless steel. Alton Brown in his Gear book recommends a heavier aluminum or stainless pot to enhance heat distribution, but not for browning. My vote is for browning meat and vegetables in the oven and going for the lighter stockpot.

Other information on stock making is invaluable, and not something you will find the typical master chef saying in their books. The comparison of stocks made with popular commercial brands of chicken versus free-range chicken is dramatic. And, the endorsement of Campbell?s labeled (Campbell?s and Swanson) chicken stocks has been consistent for several years. It is also interesting to hear that commercial stock makers use old egg laying hens to make their stocks and thereby get a stronger flavor than from young broiler / fryers.

The odd thing is that for beef, the reverse is true. The very best beef stocks are from veal, since these very young bones have much more collagen to create more tasty gelatin in the stocks. This is such basic (French) kitchen wisdom that I?m surprised that the book simply does not deal with veal stocks at all, even to say that veal stocks are not commonly used in soups.

The soup recipes are uniformly good and, as always, the reasoning behind each decision in selecting each recipe is well worth the effort to enhance one?s ability to think creatively about cooking. The very best part of each recipe development is in the illustration of how to select good ingredients and how do perform certain common techniques. I strongly suspect that the sidebar on some techniques ends up in many different ?Cooks Illustrated? volumes, but that?s OK. There is lots of special material to go around.

Stews are presented in five separate chapters covering Meat, Chicken, Seafood, and Vegetable stews plus ?Chilis, Gumbos, and Curries?. I suspect the distinction between a soup and a stew is more traditional and arbitrary than can be pinned down in a few words, but the author?s rule seems to be that soups are eaten primarily with a spoon while stews can be eaten with a fork.

While the authors and editors often come to agree with the established practices of generations of chefs, it is always fun to find an exception to a time-honored rule, as with the washing of mushrooms. The editors reproduced an experiment by food scientist Harold McGee to confirm that a quick wash causes mushrooms to pick up no more water than a like weight of broccoli. This may be old news to some, but it is still interesting news.

The final chapter is on recipes for soup accompaniments such as rice, potato, polenta, breads and biscuits. I can?t help thinking that much of this chapter was put in to fill out a page size requirement, as I simply do not know anyone who makes it a practice of eating rice, potato, and polenta dishes with soups and stews. The biscuits and bread recipes are entirely appropriate, but they would not take up much space alone.

I always get recent ?Cooks Illustrated? cookbooks and I am rarely disappointed with them, and this book is no exception. My only caveat is on very basic matters such as stocks, if you are not already familiar with them, is to get a second opinion from an authoritative book by the likes of Jaques Pepin, James Stevenson, or Shirley Corriher.

Recommended primer on good, basic recipes, especially if you are willing to make your own stock.

This is an excellent compilation of some of the most popular soups and stews. I have been very happy with the Cooks Illustrated books--including this one.

This is a really fun book. I like how the various chilis are identified by the region that enjoys them. One of my favorites is the Cincinnati chili, which has chocolate in it. Hey, anything with chocolate has to be a good thing, right?

I found another book like this for hot dogs, which also have a lot of interesting regional differences.

Great American Hot Dog Book

I bought this book on a whim about a year ago, and simply love it. Its both a cultural adventure and a delicious trek accross America. If you are a chili purist, you might have trouble with some of the recipes. If you just like tastey food, you'll love the variety of recipes paying homage to what is arguably our nation's favorite food. The cultural anecdotes preceding the recipes for each state and the District of Columbia are interesting and lend insight into why the ingredients for the recipes were selected. They are fun, easy to make recipes that your family will truly enjoy.

We particularly love the Whistle Stop Chili from Alabama, the Arizona version featuring pork, and the Nebraska Chili Mac and Cheese.

I think you will enjoy this trip across America as much as we did.

One of my culinary quests in life is for the ultimate bowl of chili. Just when I think I've found it, someone comes up with a new idea to create another savory and spicy chili recipe. This book is full of recipes like that, and they often contain ingredients reflecting the local cuisine or some aspect of the local food culture. For example, the Hawaii recipe contains macadamia nuts, the Vermont recipe has maple syrup in it, and the Wasthington state one is spiked with coffee (appropos of Starbucks), and the Pennsylvania recipe has unsweetened cocoa powder.

The recipes also very quite a bit; most contain meat, but some are totally vegetarian, and some don't even have beans. There are red chilis, green chilis, spicy and not so spicy recipes, and the meats include beef, pork, sausage, chicken, lamb, shrimp, and veal. Some of the recipes stretch the definition of chili to the breaking point or perhaps beyond, such as the Maryland recipe that calls for shrimp and crabmeat in a cream sauce with a little chili powder. But whether this counts as true chili or not, I found the ingenuity and creativity of many of the state's recipes a delight and an interesting theme around which to build a cookbook about chili.

If you're into variety as well as spicy food, you'll probably enjoy trying out all the recipes here. The ones that don't have a locally famous ingredient often come from a restaurant the Sterns ate in that had a recipe that they liked. The authors also include a lot of information on chili history and trivia and a mail-order list of places to get spices and chilis. And last but not least, the Sterns also include a few side-dish recipes, such as coleslaw, jalapeno cornbread, corn pudding, and a three-bean salad.

Overall a witty, well-written, and interesting cookbook on a great American dish, and with some nice, extra features thrown in for good measure.

I have to admit that I enjoy reading the Sterns' books primarily for their food writing. Even if I never prepared a single recipe out of any of their many titles, I would still value their books and, generally, give them pretty high ratings. In other words, I'm a fan of "food lit."

From that standpoint, this book was a little disappointing, in that it's split fifty-fifty (almost literally, given the fifty states plus D.C.) between recipes and commentary. This utilitarian little guide doesn't have the foodie allure of "Roadfood," which remains, to this point, my favorite Stern book. I readily admit that for most people, though, and especially for chili-heads who may not necessarily be Stern fans, this title has a lot to offer.

Specifically, what it has to offer is chili -- fifty-one recipes ranging from the classic (Massachusetts' Rock-ribbed bean-and-beef chili) to the exotic (Hawaii's Paniolo macadamia nut and chipotle chili) to the, frankly, bizarre (West Virginia's Fried bologna chili). I was expecting Washington to offer some kind of salmon-based chili, and was intrigued to find instead a recipe featuring our other well-known export, coffee. What you won't find is a "basic" chili -- each recipe is an unusual, not to say unique, regional variation on a theme that is left unstated (kind of the "Enigma Variations" of food, I guess).

With all this diversity, there's something for every taste, including vegetarians. Even if you're not a chili-head, it's worth the effort to track down this book and give a few of the selections a try.

I admit--I first got this book on a whim to top up an order for Super Saver Shipping. It's now one of my most reached-for cookbooks, and is almost falling apart from use! CAVEAT: Don't buy this book unless you have access to most of the various chilies--fresh, dried, and canned--in the book; using the listed ingredients really DOES make a difference. However, the Internet is a great resource for finding hard-to-find items, and dried chilies stay forever in a bag in the freezer. Also, the contents of an opened can can be frozen in a baggie...having said that, I have won more than one informal pot-luck prize with the gems in this book.

Not all chili has to be watery, or contain starch--many of the recipes are for what I call "Texas-style" recipes--all meat, no beans--which leaves you to choose your own side-dish to temper the heat. This book runs the gamut of recipes from ultra-mild to very hot, vegetarian to carnivore paradise. Almost every single recipe requires only one pot, and can easily be increased for a crowd. For solitary folks, nothing beats a batch of chilie--eat half over a few days and freeze the rest for a great meal when you're in a rush.

Get this one and have fun!

This book has the best vegetarian soups! For soups you don't need another cookbook with this one . Every recipe I have tried has turned out great.

The first copy of this cookbook I purchased, I left for our daughter, who is a vegetarian, when we moved. After two weeks without it, I purchased my own copy. We are omnivores, but we love the healthy recipes in this book. The soups are often better the next day (for example, the lentil soup). I recommend the book enthusiastically.

I'm definitely not a vegetarian (and neither is Deborah Madison, as she writes in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)but this book is full of wonderful soups. We are huge soup eaters in our house and find that a bowl of soup, especially in the winter months is one of the easiest ways to eat healthy. So many of these soups go well as a prelude to a main course of perhaps simply roasted chicken or grilled salmon. Soup is usually economical; my husband packs a thermos of soup for lunch and avoids the vending machine/fast food routine. Vegetables are usually less expensive than meat or poultry and soups made from them really stretch your food dollar. Besides which, these soups just taste great. I didn't find any of them too terribly taxing in regards to preparation; and the most exotic ingredients were saffron and coconut milk. Easy to obtain if you decide you want to spend the money. I've stopped checking this book out from the library; I need to own my own copy!

OK, so I'm slow, or maybe just dull....I'm just now figuring out that Deborah Madison only writes vegetarian cookbooks! I say that to preface my review because this wonderful soup cookbook is just that - wonderful. Not in-your-face vegetarian, not roots and twigs, but just good recipes. I ran across it in the library and had to get my own copy. And the one I returned to the library was a good bit more food-stained than when I checked it out (sorry!)
Yes, some of the recipes are a bit complicated. Yes, some are very time consuming. But it seems you get what you pay for, more or less, and the end product is so superior to other soups I've cooked that its worth the work. With a hubby who loves any and all things "soup", I have an extra incentive to try these too. So...if you have a soup fan in your house, or are one yourself, this book is worth purchasing. Start with the black bean, lime, and coconut milk soup. I'd almost pass up cake for a bowl!

This is a beautifully photographed cookbook on vegetarian soups that uses the most unusual groupings of vegetables that you can think of to toss into a pot. That being said, unless you are a hardcore vegan or veggie-head, then I would recommend you consider other, more mainstream writings.

Deborah Madison has written a most unusual, yet laborious book of soups using a food group that does not get much respect in the world of carnivores. But that does not disrespect either the author/chef or the contents of this book. What this book does is give someone with a need or preference for veggies, a joy to own. Unfortunately, I am in the carnivore group and it does not appeal to my tastebuds.

This is not a mainstream type of soup cookbook, so you might be a bit surprised when you see some of the recipes in this tome of healthy soup ideas. Names such as Green Coriander and Ginger Broth with Tofu Soup or Yellow Pea and Coconut Milk Soup with Spinach, Rice, and Spiced Yogurt Soup might be a wee bit more than what you might be used to eating.

And to be fair, there were several basics like White Bean Broth and Hearty Mushroom Soup, among others, that were very much mainstream; but they were far and few in between.

Regardless of which side of the vegetable patch you side with, this is an excellent book for tastebuds that demand only the purest or healthiest of soups. For the other side, you might want to try another soup book.

Peace!

I got this book because it seemed to be hard to find a thorough soup book with good pictures (I'm a firm believer in recipe books being beautiful pieces of photographic art). And this one does - great pictures!

The introductory information regarding soups is extremely helpful.

But there are an awful lot of fish soups and some other soups that while look pretty seem inedible. This book would be for the gourmet not the everday. Apparently I just want the pics to be works of art, but the soup itself to not be. :)

This is a good soup book. I have cooked more than 4 soups now from this book. It has pictures and easy instructions.

In its roughly 50 parts, all written by experienced cooks and cook book writers, HP Books' "The Book of ... Cooking" series takes you to the cuisines of various regions of the U.S. and around the world; all in easy to follow, well-explained recipes.

This installment, the Book of Soups, starts with a brief introduction into the different kinds of soups, and then presents recipe suggestions ranging from cold soups to soups for special occasions. Special chapters are dedicated to fish soups, cheese and egg soups, bean and grain soups, vegetable soups and meat soups. Classics such as borscht, bouillabaisse, consomme, French onion soup, various cream soups and chowders, gazpacho, goulash, hot and sour soup, minestrone, mulligatawny and stracciatella appear next to unique dishes such as carrot and cilantro soup, chilled plum soup and scallop and artichoke soup.

From avgolemono and beef and pasta soup to zucchini and tomato soup, this collection of recipes, while not all-encompassing, is a great introduction to the endless possibilities of dishing up a well-tasting soup - and at a relative bargain price, to boot.

Also recommended:
Around the World Cookbook
Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day
Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant (Cookery)
Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (4th Edition) Textbook only
Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006

I absolutely love this soup book, its a must-have for every kitchen especially as we head into another cold winter! The recipes are well illustrated and easy to follow - except for one thing...
Could someone out there PLEASE explain to me what "half and half" is? Maybe I have a disadvantage being British but I have not heard of this term before and it is preventing me from making some of my favourite dishes.

Seven years ago my husband Dub and I sailed into Whangarai Harbour in New Zealand. On our way in I spied some friends or ours, Gayle and John, who we'd met in Tahiti. They were Kiwis and they were ending their five year circumnavigation, home at last. We anchored close to their boat and later dinghied over for sundowners (usually Coke and Rum). That evening, as usual, we told tall tales of our adventures at sea and we congratulated ourselves on being in this wonderful place at this wonderful time. Later, as we were saying our goodbyes, Gayle gave me her set of the Salamandar Book of Series Cookbooks. They are sold by HP Books in the States as paperbacks. Gayle carried these books around the planet and now she was giving them to me, complete with her notes (written in the books) on the recipes, how well she and John liked certain dishes, which were their favorites, how hard they were to prepare. She knew I was a cook and she thought I'd appreciate them. She was right.

Like all the books in the series "The Book of Soups" is about five inches wide and about a foot tall, making them kind of unique among cookbooks. But one should not be put off because of the odd shape, these are real books and you can find mighty darned good recipes in them. The Cucumber & Yogurt Soup on Page 22 is one of Dub's favorites (even though it's apparently not manly to like anything with yogurt in it). Gayle has noted that she and John particularly liked the Hungarian Cabbage Soup on Page 72 and we liked it to, but for me the real winner is the Scotch Broth on Page 86. However, I have to admit it's a bit hard getting around the idea of neck of lamp cut into pieces, but it sure does taste good. And this is good and fine soup book that you'll come back to again and again.

Review Submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

I'm a huge soup fan - not sure why but I just love it. So, this book hit the spot for me. I love cooking with vegetables that are in season and this book makes it so easy - this time of year (summer) when I can go to the farmer's markets to get really fresh foods it's just that much better. I just flip to that section of the book and can easily make my shopping list not having to wonder well do I have to go to the supermarket to get that other ingredientt hat needs to be flown here from half way across the world? The recipes are sooo tasty and there's lots of variety. There are curried soups, cream based soups, hearty bean soups, and they cut across nationalities/ethnicities. You won't be disappointed with this one.

For me, the one thing that matters about a cookbook is: is it *inspired* or not? The ones that are not may have one to a few usable recipes, almost by accident, but the majority are either based on stale ideas, or they are too heavy, due to their use of meat, fat, sugar, or other such ingredients.

This book far surpassed my expectations. The recipes are original, hearty, satisfying - and low-fat. One of these soups with some bread and cheese makes for a simple and delicious weekday meal.

Most of the soups we've tried from this book have come out very well. We got off to a good start with Garlicky Cream of Celery Soup (p. 39). Examples of other successes: Cream of White Vegetables (p. 15; this worked fine with Chinese white radish/daikon; turnip is unavailable in Taiwan) - very smooth, soothing and flavorful; Gingered Pumpkin-Apple Soup (p. 25) - I'm not sure I'll put the apple in next time, but we all enjoyed the complex flavors of this one; Cream of Broccoli Soup with Whole Wheat Pasta (p. 96) also wasn't bad, even with plain macaroni shells. The Moroccan-Style Vegetable Stew (p. 26), with pumpkin, chickpeas and couscous, was very unusual and quite tasty. I was less impressed with the Tomato-Rice Soup with Snow Peas (p. 93) - this ended up something like Campbell's tomato rice, but then but I did make some substitutions, like white rice for brown. And I probably should have let the Curried Cauliflower-Cheese Soup (p. 84) thicken more before serving. You can skip the Sauerkraut Soup (p. 36) - this was edible, but didn't much appeal to any of us; too heavy on the sweet and sour, and not very satisfying. Still, I'm very gung ho about continuing to try out the other recipes. Well over half the recipes look doable to me in our environment, and that's a remarkably high ratio. I have found no other soup cookbook that can compare with this one. The recipes that work - and that has been most of them so far - are excellent, and just our style.

The book not only gives individual recipes but in fact teaches a *method* for making good vegetarian soups, i.e. pureeing cooked vegetables for a thick and hearty but not too rich base. Organizing the recipes by the seasons makes it easier to find a soup suited to the weather.

P. 27 has a recipe for 'Squash and Corn Chower', but that's the only typo I've spotted. The pencil drawings and quotes are quite charming. I haven't yet tried the bread and other 'accompaniments' recipes in the back, but they look intriguing.

In short: if you like soup but not meat, and are looking for ideas for simple but very good meals on the light side, this book is an outstanding choice.

I haven't yet made anything from the book, but as an experienced cook myself, I can read a recipe and know pretty much whether I will like it or not. I might make a mistake once in a while, but it's very unlikely that anyone who calls themself "a skilled and experienced" cook would choose as many as six recipes and not be able to tell they would be "vile" once made. I'm all for honest reviewing, and if you don't like a book, so be it, but this review was unnecessarily harsh and, in my judgment, probably the act of someone who has very little nice to say about anyone or anything.
Once I try some of the recipes, I'll try to report back on them. For now, I've just read through them, and there's hardly one that doesn't sound interesting to me. On that basis alone, I feel justified on giving the book 5 stars, since I can't say that about most non-dessert cookbooks!

Sorry to disagree with the other reviewers, but this is the worst cookbook I have ever bought. I am a skilled and experienced vegetarian cook, and recipes in this book are perversely, malignantly vile. There will always be recipes we don't like in any cookbook, but I tried half a dozen soups in this book and they were just wretched. After the last one I just threw the book in the recycling bin. Back to Moosewood!

I own about 35 vegetarian cookbooks, and decided to stop buying any more. However, finding a variety of good soups that I could center a meal around has never been easier once I gave in and purchased this book. I've so far prepared about fifteen recipes, and enjoyed each and every one, and plan to make them all again. This may be the one cookbook that I eventually prepare all of the recipes therein. A MUST HAVE cookbook...you won't regret the purchase. Your mouth, stomach, heart, and pocketbook will all thank you regularly for your wise decision!

Chicken Soup for the Soul Cookbook is a touching collection of stories that are sure to tug at the heart strings...if I ever tire of the stories I'll wander into my kitchen and try some of the recipes...Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

If anyone has time to read a book I recomend to read this book.Its not just an average book it can actually help you get through the day.The stories in the book will show you no matter how bad you think your life is someone has had it worse.I have learned that once you put your mind to something, that something can be acomplished.

This is the rarest of delicious treats: a book filled with tempting recipes, plus stories to warm your heart even when you're not in the kitchen cooking! It is one of the best gifts to give someone you love, no matter the reason...or season. I believe it will be the gift book of choice for a wedding shower because the recipes span all traditions and appeal to the novice or experienced cook. I've learned my lesson: now I keep several copies on hand when I need the perfect present for someone I treasure, and don't have time to shop.

A collection of inspirational stories from many people, collected by two well-known motivational speakers wherein you will find something to make you better than you might have been, as well as make you better able to cope. The stones are about people caring for each other, parenting, learning, living your dream, overcoming obstacles and other avenues of wisdom in life. The stories are in their original form as assembled by the authors.

Much of the material embraces stones about adults, but a goodly portion is about kids and how important it is to show, over and over, that others care for them and love them. We see too, the impact of good teachers on the lives of students in the classroom every day; an important reminder of the complex ways quality education and quality teachers make a better world for all of us.

One story, "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" illustrates, I think, the connection between youth and adulthood. Here are excerpts from author, Robert Fulghum: "These are the things I learned: "Share everything. "Play fair. "Don't hit people. "Put you things back where you found them. "Clean up your own mess. "Don't take things that aren't yours. "Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. "Wash your hands before you eat. "Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. "Live a balanced life. "Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some." "Everything you need to know is there somewhere."

And then from an Unknown Source, there is the classic reminder about Abraham Lincoln's life and the lesson of persistence. "Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout life. "He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. "He could have quit many times-but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country. Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up."

From a piece by Bob Richards, Olympic Athlete: "Greatness is all around us. "It's easy to be great because great people will help, you... .the greatest in the business will come and share their ideas, their methods and their techniques with everyone else. "They don't hold back. "Great people will share.. .(they) will tell you their secrets. "It's easy to be great when you get around great people."

And finally, a tongue-in-cheek bit under the heading of "Eclectic Wisdom: This life is a test. It is only a test. Had it been an actual life you would have received further instructions on where to go and what to do." (Found on a bulletin board).

An interesting collection of inspiring stories about the human condition which you can pick up and put down at will. You don't weed to read them all at once in one sitting and the payoff is that you'll find something to turn you on and make you better (or at least feel better) than you might have been.

If you like the Chicken Soup For the Soul books, you will want to have the cookbook as well. This is your chance to really experience the stories as you read them and then try your hand at the rceipes. I can almost smell the aroma of fresh bread or pies as they are cooking. I have tried several already and have gotten rave reviews for the food, but it is even more fun to tell the story to the family as they enjoyed the dish. I am already thinking of one recipe that I would like to share myself and I know as you read and try the recipes, you'll have one to share also.

BR>It is truly a classic cookbook with nothing but great tasting, wholsome soups.
This wonderful book also includes many tips on how to make soup.

If you love to make your own soup, you want this book, if you love excellent tasting soup, you want this book. Easy to follow recipes, excellent tasting soups, you cannot go wrong purchasing this book. These soups can be eaten all year round. This Soup Cook Book makes an excellent gift.

I have owned this book for several years and I have repeatedly attempted to cook from it. Unfortunately, I have never gotten around to it! Although it may be true that the recipes offered are actually great tasting and easy to make and hence deserve a higher rating, the design of this book has a vital flaw that consistently leads me to frustration: There is no index of ingredients. For many cooks this may be a minor annoyance or even no bother at all - for me it renders this book virtually worthless since I generally have a hankering for something (lets say potatoes) and then like to look in the index to see which recipes contain potatoes.

Although the book does have an index that lists all the soups contained within its pages by their respective names, there is no other way to find out which recipes contain the desired ingredient other than to open a page and read the entire recipe.

If such an index is vital for you, you might end up with this book unused on your shelves. If not, based on other reviewers it appears that the recipes should be quite pleasing.

I know the folks who made these soups and I've tasted almost all of them and they are so yummy and so filled with love and goodness! You will enjoy feeding your family and your self these delectable delights from the founders and followers of Follow Your Heart. Enjoy to your heart's content!! And when in Canoga Park, CA go there and try some from their kitchen, they are renowned for their soups!

.....then make soup from this fine cookbook. Every recipe is amazing and delicious, there's not a miss in the bunch! Her use of herbs gives extrordinary flavors, giving new life to old-favorites, and creating new favorites for your repitoire. I've been using it for years and have never tired of it. Get this book immediately, do not wait another minute!

I got this book about a week ago and it was so tempting that I have already made 3 soups! they were all great and super easy. Highly reccomended

"Yo Diggity", would be the phrase that comes to mind when I'm searching through my cook books and this one catches my eye. That or "booya". I can't decide. I love soup. A lot. I like making soup too and this book has really good recipes that are easy to follow. For the recipes that call for chicken, beef or vegetable stock,...if you like homemade stock better,(who doesn't) but don't know how to make it,..HAVE NO FEAR! SOUP will teach you. It has recipes for all kinds of soups,..miso, hot and sour, shrimp bisque, chowders,.. all kinds. This book simply excites me.

William's-Sonoma has an excellent recipe book layout; their bright colorful pictures and easy-to-read text always make a nice impression on me. While selecting my first trial recipes I noticed that if a person wanted to, he or she could preplan menus with this book. Many of the soups call for similar base ingredients and stocks so different soups could be created on consecutive days.

I've tried two recipes out of this book, one was excellent and the other was a disaster. I thought that the vegetable stock recipe is incredible and know that I will use it again; it is incredibly full of flavor and healthy. I cannot say the same about the split pea soup recipe.

The pea soup recipe sounded like a nice idea but it was not creamy enough to my taste. In fact, it wasn't creamy at all. The soup turned out gritty and chewy with a poor texture. I think that the recipe has some good flavor possibilities but needs more work to incorporate a smoother texture with more liquid that will allow the dried peas to adequately cook.

Maybe I just picked the worst recipe out of the book to try first but a 50/50 likelihood of recipe failure makes me hesitant to try another recipe.

I think that this is a great soup book. All of the soups are very accessible in the variety of ingredients that they require and the 5-8 soups that I've made have been supurb. There is a soup for every occasion, and several for every season. If you enjoy soup, like to have easy recipes on hand as well as a few that make you feel a little like a real chef, this is the book for you. One of the three recipe books that I look at on a regular basis.

I was given this book as a gift 2 years ago and I can't say enough good things about it. I was a little shy of soup making at the time, but have been so amazed that every single recipe I've made from this book has been fantastic. I attribute that to well-written recipes, they really are fool proof.

I think you'll be happier with this book if you own a hand blender, as nearly every recipe calls for some pureeing, and it is SO much easier with a hand blender.