The Best Vegetable Soup I’ve Ever Tasted (That’s the name of the soup!)

Edna Staebler’s cookbook, Food That Really Schmecks, has been republished. In honor of this occasion, food bloggers are participating in an event called A Day That Really Schmecks. The bloggers will prepare a recipe or two from the book and blog about it. Jasmine of will post a line up of the blogged about recipes on Confessions of a Cardamom Addict on January 15, 2007.

Staebler was an award winning journalist and author. She recently passed away in 2006 at the age of 100. I’m certainly glad that it’s never too late to learn about her and her work.

From the title to its content of Mennonite Country Cooking recipes, I found Food That Really Schmecks appealing. As I read the book on the subway and at work, people who spotted the title made comments. The title alone was a conversation starter. I’m not sure what “schmecks” literally means, but I get the gist that it means something along the lines of “good, great, awesome…” that sort of thing. Anyone out there, please feel free to enlighten me.

I liked how the book is filled with recipes for seemingly everything – from Grape Wine to Milk Toast, sauces for vegetables, pickled eggs, cheese bread, porridge bread, Almond Macaroons, to Angel cake, Sponge cake and more. There are even recipes for candy! I also like that a measurement conversion table is located in the back. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a section entitled ‘A Variety of Things,’ where you can find recipes for sausages, cheese, and home remedies.

Interspersed throughout the book are Staebler’s stories about cooking Mennonites and her family, which I found entertaining. The book really packs a punch and has a lot to offer.

I decided to make the recipe entitled, ‘The Best Vegetable Soup I’ve Ever Tasted’ (another title I like). The ingredients are simple and the recipe uncomplicated.

I’m wondering, though, if there’s a typo in this recipe. ½ cup raw rice is mentioned twice. In any event, I only used the ½ cup rice measurement once and it worked out fine. The soup was light, yet filling.

Best of all, I like how Staebler encourages the reader not to take the recipes seriously but instead have fun with them. “Experiment, improvise, be a little reckless,” she writes. I did have fun and added a little Cajun Spice, which my friend had sent me, to make the soup spicier. Loved it!

There are many recipes, from which to pick. The soup I prepared was a good start and I plan on trying out more of the recipes.

Look, mom! I’m making Mennonite Country food! That really schmecks!

Don’t forget to check out Confessions of a Cardamom Addict, January 15, to see a round up of all the prepared meals that schmeck. Thanks, Jasmine for putting this together.

Paz

Ed. Note: According to Jasmine, “Schmecks” means “tasty” or “tastes very good.” Also it seems that the double posting of the rice ingredient is indeed a typo. The rice ingredient only appears once in the first cookbook printing. So that that means there should only be one listing of 1/2 cup raw rice in the new cookbook version, as well.

The Best Vegetable Soup I’ve Ever Tasted
Food That Really Schmecks – Edna Staebler

It’s Delurking Week!

Garlicky Rice

Our fellow food blogger and friend, Ruth Daniels has a recently released cookbook. It’s called Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories: Recipes to warm the heart. Months ago, I had the pleasure of being one of her recipe testers and I liked the recipes I tried.

The cookbook is filled with favorite family recipes and personal stories. I like how each recipe comes with a “Tips and Variations” section. There’s also a “Cooking Primer” section. All are helpful to the reader.

The first recipe to jump out at me from this new cookbook was the Garlicky Rice. I’m a rice eater, so this recipe called my name (“Paz, Paz! Make me first! Make me first!”).

The ingredients consist of rice, butter, onions, carrots, chicken stock and most important of all, garlic. The recipe calls for 8 cloves of garlic. Who’s afraid of a little garlic? As long as it tastes good, I say, “Bring it on!” Besides, garlic is good for you. Years ago, I’d read the memoir of two American sisters called Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years. At the time they were age 101 and 103 and part of their health regiment consisted of eating a clove of garlic (raw, I think) daily. So, I’m not afraid of garlic.

The combinations of the ingredients were delicious! Ruth recommends serving this rice with grilled steaks and chicken, other slow cooked roasts or your favorite shrimp or scallop dishes.

If you’re looking for a different version of rice to make, try this Garlicky Rice.

Congratulations Ruth on the release of your cookbook!

Paz

Garlicky Rice
Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories – Ruth Daniels

Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter
8 cloves garlic, minced – This is not a typo!
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped or grated (1/2) cup)
2 cups plain white raw rice, preferably Italian, well rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken stock

1- In large skillet, melt butter and cook carrot and onion until golden, about 5 minutes.

2- Add garlic now so it will be aromatic. If you cook garlic in step 1 with onion, mixture it will become bitter.

3- Add rice to the pan with an additional tbsp of butter if needed. Stir to coat the rice.

4- Add chicken stock, bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

5- Remove from heat, fluff/stir gently with a fork. Re-cover and let rest for 5 minutes or so.