Issue 03

I really like Jessica’s approach to recipes and blogging.  There are always lots of personal anecdotes, references to literature/books/what she is reading and I was really impressed by her entertaining maps!  These are hand drawn gems beautifully illustrate the menu in planning.

Cream of Asparagus Soup 
Adapted from Gourmet, March 2001, Serves  4

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice adds a nice bright spot to this soup. The original recipe calls for just ¼ teaspoon for the entire pot, but I like to add more than that – a teaspoon, at least. If you’re going to make this soup in advance, add the last tablespoon of butter and the lemon juice after reheating, just before serving.

2 pounds asparagus stalks
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5-6 cups vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
Fresh lemon juice, to taste (see note, above)
Sea salt and black pepper

Remove any tough ends from the asparagus stalks and discard. Cut the tips from 8 of the stalks and reserve for garnish. (If that feels too fussy, skip it.) Slice all but the reserved tips into ½-inch pieces.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat until it just begins to foam. Add the asparagus pieces, some sea salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the 5 cups of vegetable broth and simmer, covered, until the asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While the soup simmers, cook the reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Purée the soup in batches in a stand blender, or use an immersion blender to purée it in the pot. Be very careful if using a stand blender to purée hot soup; fill only about half way with each batch. Return the puréed soup to the pot, stir in the cream, then add more broth, if necessary, to thin the soup. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter.
Add the lemon juice just before serving and garnish each bowl with two asparagus tips.

Photo Source: Sweet Amandine

INTERVIEW: Jessica Fetchor, Sweet Amandine {Cambridge, USA}

01 Who are you?
I’m Jessica Fechtor. I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts and write the blog, Sweet Amandine. I’m a PhD candidate in Jewish Literature, and currently working on my first book, a memoir with recipes.

02 Where is the best place to eat in Cambridge, MA?
In Cambridge, I’d start with toast at Hi-Rise Bread Co. and grab an almond macaroon or apricot brioche for the road. My favorite dinner in town is the vegetarian tasting menu at Oleana, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in Inman Square. Across the river in Brookline, don’t miss the morning buns at Clear Flour Bakery. Get the kind with walnuts. And pick up fish tacos at Dorado a few blocks away.

03 How would you describe your entertaining style?
I like to host casual weeknight meals – a pot of soup, bread, cheese, and odds and ends from the fridge. Olives, maybe, marinated anchovies, if we’re lucky. Whatever we have on hand. If there’s a partial loaf of banana bread or snacking cake on the counter, we’ll finish it off, with tea, for dessert.

04 Are there any entertaining customs you have at home?
On New Year’s Eve, friends come over on the earlier side and we make a night out of the cooking as well as the eating. Instead of putting together the entire meal at once, we prepare one course at a time, gathering around the table to eat whenever the next round is up. I guard the task of dessert for myself.

05 Why did you choose asparagus soup for spring?
I love soup. I eat it year-round, and I’m always excited to find a good one for the spring or summer months. When I make this soup, I think of my first apartment, my first time living alone after college. My (now) in-laws came to visit, and I served this soup with a savory tart.