The Ultimate Soup Book: 250 Soups for Appetizers, Entrees, and Desserts

The affection Older and Sherman displayed for soup when they wrote Menus a Trois has blossomed into true love, judging from this tasty and eclectic collection. In addition to sampling the authors' versions of old favorites, like navy bean soup and New England clam chowder, soup aficionados can experiment with more unusual offerings, such as a duck soup made with wild rice, apple cider and burgundy wine or a chilled butter pecan soup for dessert. Guided by succinct, lucid instructions, even cooks whose prior experience with soup is limited to opening cans should be able to score some gratifying successes with such dishes as hearty kielbasa cabbage soup or a buttermilk walnut soup that requires no cooking and is served cold. Those who look to soups for economical yet nutritious fare can turn chicken stock, a turkey leg and some vegetables into turkey soup paprikesh or try the bread mint soup, flavored with onions and tomatoes, that suggests a use for stale bread. However, some recipes, notably a rich lobster bisque and truffle soup with puff pastry, fall into the let-them-eat-cake category. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Sept.)