Recently, I received an e-mail offering me a review copy* of a soon-to-be-released soup cookbook, Ladled: Nourishing Soups for all Seasons by Kimberly Harris. Always ready for new food and new recipes, I naturally accepted the offer. But I admit I was only expecting “just another soup cookbook”.
Friends, this is not “just another soup cookbook”. When I finally got around to cracking open the book (post-Christmas-craziness) I was delighted to find an introduction that references the GAPS Diet, outlines the value of making your own bone broths (you don’t really want me to get on that soapbox again, do you?), explains the process of soaking grains and beans, and tells you exactly how to dice a carrot (do you know how many years I chopped carrots before I figured out how to do this properly??)
After such an introduction, I was eager to jump into the recipes. Kimberly has included over 100 recipes for a wide variety of soups (most of them gluten-free and/or dairy-free) as well as a delicious chapter on things to serve with your soup or mix into your soup (Homemade Bacon? Italian Beef Meatballs? Marbled Spiced Tea Eggs? Yum!) And as if that wasn’t enough, she has the most complete chapter on stocks and broths I’ve ever seen. If you’re new to making broth, this is the book you need on your shelf!
Our family spent a few weeks eating our way through Kimberly’s recipes and we loved them all. The Smoky Lentil and Chicken Soup with Dark Greens was definitely a hit, as was the Simple Split Pea Soup; but I think the Buckwheat and Root Vegetable Soup with Meatballs is the family favorite of the ones we’ve tried so far.
There are oodles of exotic recipes in here that we didn’t get around to trying. Vietnamese Hot and Sour Soup with Pineapple has caught my eye. So has the Lemongrass Clam Chowder. And there’s an entire chapter of chilled soups that have me anxious for the heat of summer.
And as if all of that wasn’t enough, Kimberly is out to capture my heart with a big and beautiful photo of every single recipe.
I am so glad to have this cookbook on my shelf, and will be returning to it again and again. If you have a taste for simple cooking, but also long for elegance and deliciousness, you will delight in Ladled every bit as much as I do.
* Review posts are my opinions on items that were sent to me free of charge. The items were given to me, but the thoughts and opinions are my own. I only provide reviews of items that I find to be truly worthy of recommendation.
