WINTER SOUPS – one of Chef John Ash’s favorites
Soup is an important part of every cultural cuisine and the variations could fill several books (and it has!). Soup is the most basic of dishes.
Originally soupe or sops described a hot broth poured on or combined with bread – – the bread being the sopping vehicle. Soupe and sops are also the root of the word supper a term not used as much today.
When Chef Ash was growing up on a ranch in Colorado, the big meal of the day was always lunch. Supper, which was the last meal of the day before bed, was often something “soupy” or “stewy”, a simple one-dish meal that was easily digested and helped you sleep.
The dividing line between soups and stews is vague!
Chef Ash’s friend, Amy Mintzer, recalls that when she went to summer camp as a little girl, they also served the big meal at lunch with some kind of soup for dinner. They called the dinner soup “cream of lunch”!
Here are some of Chef Ash’s favorite soups for winter: https://chefjohnash.com/
Chef John Ash, Advisor to EatRx
Many refer to Chef John Ash as the “Father of Wine Country Cuisine”. In 1980 he opened his namesake restaurant, John Ash & Company, in Santa Rosa, CA. which gained international acclaim and still is critically applauded.
He has co-hosted a radio show for 32 years in Northern California. He also hosted two shows on the Food Network. John is an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone in the Napa Valley. John has consulted with a broad range of clients including Sonoma Cutrer Winery, Del Monte Foods, Viking River Cruises and others.
In 2008 John was voted “Cooking School Teacher of the Year” by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. John is a champion of sustainable food issues, having served for several years on the Board of the Chef’s Collaborative, as well the Board of Seafood Watch, an educational initiative of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
John has written 5 books and is a two-time James Beard Award winner. Culinary Birds won a 2014 James Beard award and John Ash Cooking One-on-One won in 2005. He has authored two other books: From the Earth to the Table and American Game Cooking. The former was awarded the IACP Julia Child Cookbook of the Year. His latest book Cooking Wild was published in summer of 2016 by Running Press. He writes occasionally for culinary magazines such as Fine Cooking and Eating Well and contributes regularly to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
John was also honored in 2014 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium as “Sustainable Seafood Educator of the Year”. He was recently inducted into the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers for his love and work with cheese.
More great recipes on Chef John Ash’s website!
