This sandwich has deli roots with an added touch of California. It’s tall and fat, and filled with layers of colorful lettuce, tomato, bacon, and onion. It’s even better when you can find a local bakery that makes fresh marble rye bread with seeds. The homemade Russian dressing adds just the right tangy accent. This was one of the first sandwiches we ever served in the store, and it has become quite popular, to say the least.
Even when we offer several choices of sandwiches, tuna salad is always a bestseller. People can’t seem to get enough of this classic. Our version starts with the basics—tuna (we use white albacore, but chunk light works just as well), celery, and just a little mayonnaise. For just a touch of sweetness with an added crunch, we stir in pickle relish or red pepper relish. On top go butter pickles for a distinctive finishing touch.
We are always trying to create new and interesting sandwiches for our vegetarian customers. Roasting really enhances the flavor of the vegetables in this one. When served warm, the mix of zucchini, summer squash, and bell peppers makes a nice change from lettuce and tomatoes. These sandwiches are great for lunch on the go, as they are easy to handle and eat.
White peaches are some of my favorites, as each bite tastes like a great fruity wine. However, I use several different varieties of peaches for this soup so their flavors can blend. It tastes like a luscious peach cobbler.
It simmers fresh blueberries with fruit juice and wine, then purees them with sour cream and brown sugar.Maine blueberries are smaller and more tart than the cultivated kind, but either one will work in this recipe.
We planted and grew all of our own vegetables. A spectacular apricot tree supplied us with fresh fruit all summer. When we grew tired of eating plain apricots, I made this soup. It’s both tart and sweet, with a hint of ginger and a refreshingly silky texture. I like to serve it on a hot day, when you need a burst of sweetness and energy.
This versatile soup’s scarlet hue is always a conversation piece. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche to offset the color. Served hot, the soup makes a good first course for an entrée of duck or veal. It can also be served cold, presented in a glass serving bowl, or ladled into chilled red wine goblets. Garnish with fresh cherries with the stems still attached.
The intoxicating flavor and aroma of mangoes is probably what makes this our most popular fruit soup. One bite is simultaneously thick, creamy, and refreshing. I think of it as our sexiest soup. The flavor really depends on ripe mangoes, which should have yellowish-red skin and flesh that is soft but not mushy when you lightly press the outside with your finger. Buy them a few days in advance, when their skin is still slightly green, to make sure they are ripe when you make the soup.
You can’t get any more vibrant than this magenta soup, which pairs earthy beets with sweet, delicate raspberries. I think it’s a toss-up whether the flavor or the color is more appealing. Garnish each serving with sprigs of fresh dill and whole raspberries. Serve it with Farmers’ Market Salad for a refreshing lunch during one of summer’s hottest days.
This recipe tries to preserve the traits of a traditional gazpacho while adding the intoxicating fruit flavors of raspberries and nectarines. For a picnic on a hot summer day, I like to pack the thoroughly chilled soup into pint glass Mason jars and put them in my cooler.
Gazpacho, a soup designed to be served cold, originated in the Andalusian region of southern Spain, where it helped mitigate the scorching climate. The basic recipe combines tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers with bread crumbs and seasonings. In this variation, I add clam juice and fresh seafood to take advantage of the summer catch.
This pretty, light green soup contrasts sweet cucumber with tart yogurt and lemon juice. The thick texture of Greek yogurt works particularly well with the other ingredients. If you can’t find it at a supermarket, substitute plain, whole milk yogurt or sour cream. This is good for a ladies’ luncheon on a hot day. The soup would be hopelessly bland without sweet onions, pickles, and chives perking up each bite. It is best to prepare it the day you serve it so the vegetables stay fresh and crunchy.
This is one of the first cold soups we ever started making in our stores. Avocadoes sometimes get a bad name because they are high in fat, but they contain no cholesterol and are a good source of fiber and Vitamin C.We have found that anything containing avocado is a huge seller because of the smooth and creamy texture. In this recipe, the freshly squeezed lime juice and fresh cilantro intensify the avocado’s slightly nutty flavor. Cucumbers add a cool crunch that makes this soup so refreshing.
I started making this soup one summer when a customer brought us the zucchini that seemed to be inundating her garden. Some of them were so big they would not even fit into the pot. (We used those whoppers for decorations—guaranteed to give customers a laugh). The rest went into the first batches of this spinach and zucchini bisque.
The habanero chile pepper, a Caribbean favorite, is super hot, so you only need one for the entire soup.
Roasted eggplant is probably most familiar to people as the key ingredient in the Middle Eastern spread, baba ghanoush. I knew that eggplant would make a great base for a soup if I could somehow get beyond its unappealing gray color. I found the solution by adding roasted red peppers and tomatoes. I also added mint to contrast with the concentrated, almost smoky flavors of the pepper and eggplant. The color turned into a beautiful, creamy coral, and the soup has become one of our most popular vegetarian selections.
For a Middle Eastern touch, serve the soup with Homemade Toasted Pita Chips (see Syrian Chickpea Soup Recipe).
For a Middle Eastern touch, serve the soup with Homemade Toasted Pita Chips (see Syrian Chickpea Soup Recipe).
Those pre-washed, bite-sized carrots at the supermarket have made this vegetable a lot more convenient to grab for a snack. Still, the crunchy, raw sticks can’t match the appeal of carrots in a soup. When cooked, carrots add texture, body—and a pretty, orange glow. They also contain lots of Vitamin A. In this recipe, honey enhances their natural sweetness. Fresh ginger root adds a contrasting note of heat and spice. The overall flavor profile is similar to pumpkin pie. When I serve it at home, I like to garnish the top with a few pieces of candied ginger, and drizzle it with a bit of honey.
The word verde means green in Italian, and green vegetables—with just a few beans for texture and protein—are the theme of this Italian-inspired minestrone soup. Use your imagination when making this soup, and snap up the green vegetables that look crisp and fresh—wherever you do your shopping.
Potato and leek soup is a culinary classic. This recipe gives it an update by roasting sliced leeks in the oven until they are soft and sweet. I like using Yukon Gold potatoes, as they have a nice, buttery color and flavor.March is the perfect time to make this soup because leeks are just coming into season.
Asparagus is to spring what apples are to fall. Both unmistakably signal the change in season, though the effect is somewhat diminished now that they have become more available year-round.