There’s a lot to love about a cup of delcious soup. Some people love the many flavors and textures, others the warmth and comfort. Lots of soups are so hearty they actually make a complete meal. Of course, in the summer heat, there is always the option of choosing from the cold soup favorites. Here are just a few of the basic types of soups you can create yourself.
It’s interesting that most soups can be broken down into a few categories, basically that there are soups that begin with or without a stock base. Then there are also the fruit soups. Some examples of soups requiring stock include your broths, bouillon, and consomm. Soups without stock would be bisque, chowders, creams, and purees.
When creating your own meat-based soup stock, any of your favorite meats would be a good starter. Anything including beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, veal, fish, etc. would work fine. Using dark-colored meats will produce brown stock while white soup stock is made from light-colored meats. Vegetables commonly added to soup stock include onion, celery, and carrots. Soups in this category include beef vegetable, chicken soups, tomato soups, cabbage soups, and broth’s.
Purees and cream soups often make a great main course for lunch or for a lighter dinner since they’re quite thick and rich. Varieties can include split pea, creamy corn or tomato, clam chowder, potato and bean purees bisques like lobster or oyster, and vegetable cream soups such as cream of broccoli or mushroom.
Fruit soups are a wonderful chilled alternative enjoyed year-round, but especially in the heat of summer. Varieties include strawberry, peach, melon, cantaloupe, and cherry. You’ll find certain cold soup recipes use vegetable based stock and others list fruit juice in the ingredients instead. Either makes a wonderful vegetarian dish.
Nothing really compares to a delicious, well-made soup. Be sure to put the right finishing touch on your creamy soups with a simple garnish and serve it the appropriate dish, such as a nice covered soup dish for your bean or onion soup, or a nice flat round bowl for your cream soup. And be prepared for requests for second helpings.
Don’t forget to make a delicious dessert to serve after your soup dinner, such as a golden pound cake made using a stainless steelbread and cake loaf pan. There are so many great desserts you’ll be able to make when your own a variety of stainless steel bakeware.
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