I ordered this cookbook for the Artichoke Bisque recipe and it is to die for!! I know sometimes you can find recipes online but there's nothing like a good cookbook read! ( )

I've had this cookbook for a while but haven't cooked from it that much. Part of that is the way it's organized: some chapters are by main ingredients ("A Chicken in Every Pot", "Say Cheese, Please"), some by type of soup ("Championship Chowders", "Childhood Favorites"), and then there are also chapters by season ("Autumn Flavors", "Winter's Brew", "Spring In a Bowl", "Summer Soothers"). This means you have to look in multiple places to find a simple recipe -- is gazpacho in with "Tomato Teasers" or in "Summer Soothers"? A badly organized table of contents is one of my cookbook pet peeves.

I think I've only made one of these recipes so far, but it was great: Grandma Florrie's Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls. This was some of the best matzoh ball soup I've had. I like her trick of using club soda to make the matzoh balls extra light. Though mine fell apart a little, I think that was mostly user error and they were still great. I omitted the veal bone and the broth still had plenty of flavor.

I'm looking forward to cooking some more of these soups. I already have a bunch tagged with post-it notes: Spinach, Feta Cheese, & Toasted Pine Nut Soup, Artichoke Bisque, Cheddar-Corn Chowder with Bacon & Scallions, and Sweet Green Pea Soup with Fresh Mint. I'll report back! ( )