Taking corn soup beyond the package

It’s easy to prettify a 32 oz package of soup. The Pacific Natural Foods Buttery Sweet Corn soup was only $1.00 at some food outlet.

Minced two stalks of celery. Had some sauteed onions in the fridge, so threw in 1/2 cup of that. Found a stray sweet potato. Wrapped it in some cling film and nuked it for about 6 minutes. Chopped up that sweet potato – kept the skin on because it adds a nice color. Served the soup piping hot, and encouraged diners to drop a little square of Tillamook Cheddar in the soup. Many happy eaters! The additions here help dilute the serious sweetness of the soup.

The Pressure Cooker Gourmet, by Victoria Wise (mini-review)

Last year, I purchased “The Pressure Cooker Gourmet.” Long before I had a pressure cooker to call my own, I was apprehensive about fending off kitchen explosions and the psk-psk sound – is the noise inspiring or anxiety-provoking?

Ms. Victoria Wise reveals that these formidable tools are quite easy and safe to handle. More importantly, she employs the rare skill of explaining how the food actually works. The relevance of connective tissue in a roast. That sort of thing. All the recipes seem to have a manageable number of ingredients – most have no greater than ten. She is ultimately practical about technique/preparation, which I appreciate. For example, she encourages the reader to take advantage of the extra time the pressure cooker affords with “embellishments and finishing touches,” such as garnishes or other little delights that move a meal from basic to sublime.

This book was the tipping factor that helped me decide to add my beloved 6-quart, stainless steel Presto to my culinary life. Oh the romance!

Run, don’t walk, to Fairway and get Gata Hurdes olive oil

Either that, or, bribe any New Yorker you can get your hands on. One of my friends made the mistake of letting me try some Gata Hurdes olive oil. It’s Spanish. Beautiful green. Amazing flavor: smooth, fruity (perhaps even a teensy grassy), and a nod in the direction of pepperiness with a final destination of almost sweet. He then offered to get me some more of it from New York City’s fine food retailer, Fairway Market. Well, I accepted – got two bottles, intending for my parents to try it. They fell, head over heels in love with it – accompanied only by some Safeway “artisanal” baguette. I don’t know who else besides Fairway carries this, but, I might have to hassle my friend again when my supplies run low!!! It is this oil (a mere $14.99 for a liter!) that lets me believe that Athena handily won the hearts of the Greeks, by giving them the olive tree.