Foodview: Carrot Ginger Soup

With stars in her eyes, chef "newb" (Keara) wowed all of us with her incredible creativity in the kitchen. She really did come bursting onto the scene. At one point, I saw her sitting vis-a-vis with Nate and Kelley at the interview table, then next thing I knew she was in the back flogging ingredients into delicious submission! In my opinion, she certainly has proven herself around here!

Last week, I was able to try one of her dishes. As I sat down at the sheen, reflective concrete counter of the Moon's new bar area with note-taking paper and ready pen, I was presented with a steaming bowl of Carrot Ginger Soup. It had a creamy texture with a bright orange color to it. Resting on the surface of the thick orange soup was a sprinkling of dried-cranberries (craisins) which I stirred into the soup with eager spoon.

Funny story, I once tried eating straight ginger simply because it looked healthy and I was hungry. I learned very quickly not to take honking bites out of ginger root systems and never have since then. Other than that tearful memory, I don't really have experience with ginger. And yet, I could detect a pleasant hint of it from the first bite to the last. The ginger and the carrot sensations gave me the slight impression of sweet potatoes, but not an exact comparison. While carrot is a sweet vegetable, it wasn't the sweetener of the meal. The carrots served as the base or body of the soup. It gave it a texture that made the bowl far more than just a serving of broth, but a thick, heavy soup perfect for filling you up on a rainy day. The ginger in the soup gave it a little bit of a bite, adding some character to the meal. It was the dried cranberries that served as the sweetening morsels and brought the taste and texture into delicious harmony.

Adjectives to describe this meal are as follows: filling, sweetened, colorful, different, vegetarian, comforting, diverse, textured, and warm. If you've been looking for a soup that will fill you up, you've come to the right place. Very good, and I was very full by the end.

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Italian Double Potato Soup

Spicy, but not too spicy. It definitely leaves a tang in your mouth!

The crisp crunch of roasted almonds scattered on top contrast well with the thickly creamed texture of the soup. The somewhat sweet taste from the yam coupled with the filling texture of the Idaho potato worked sensationally well to make a flavorful and filling dish.

The flavor is most potently tasted in the soup's  celery, onion, and fresh basil, the fresh basil giving a hint of Italian taste to the blend. The recipe calls for Italian Sausage, but we've held off on that for all you vegetarians out there. Looking at the ingredients on this post, the soup is vegan friendly as well. :)

It has a texture equivalent to curry, but undoubtedly tastes like a spicy potato soup. With an almond cream base, it's satisfyingly thick. With whole, fresh basil leaves put into the pot, it's very bold in flavor. If you're into spicy food, give this a shot. It may not be the hottest thing out there, but it'll make your forehead shed a tear or two.

It's my recommendation to get it with some bagel chips and hummus to finish the meal off with a cool taste in your mouth.

Words to describe this soup are: spicy, bold, thick, potato-ish, slightly sweet, and heart-warming. Oh yes, my friend, heart-warming. Especially on a cold and dreary day would I recommend this pot of potato-goodness :)

~The Harvest Crier~