Soup can be a light appetizer or a hearty meal onto itself. Old-fashioned but nourishing chicken soup is often prescribed for those banishing a cold or who are recovering from long illnesses. Minestrone soup is found on the menus of just about every food establishment there is.
There are two main categories of soup, thick and clear. Some popular examples of thick soups are cream of mushroom soup, split pea soup and bouillabaisse. These
soups contain chunky ingredients and heavy liquids and are bursting with layer
upon layer of flavors and textures. |
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Clear soups include consommé, beef bouillon and the Japanese broth dashi. These soups are light and almost completely fat-free, yet they have an intensely pure and full flavor.
Soup is the first course to be served and it is only fitting that it is presented in special soup bowls in anticipation of the standard for the rest of the meal. Soup bowls can be deep and high-rimmed, or shallow and wide-rimmed.
Although most soup bowls are of simple design, manufacturers have also produced them in the shape of fruits, vegetables, and shellfish.
It can be visually stunning to serve a summer vegetable soup in soup bowls shaped as eggplants.
For thick soups, you can use a single large bowl to bring
the soup onto the dining table and then serve it into individual
soup bowls.
That way, anyone can help themselves to extra ingredients. |
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For clear soups, however, it is best to ladle the soup into each bowl prior to bringing them to the table.
Soup bowls made from stainless steel are preferable, as
it is an exceptionally hard-wearing metal and is resistant
to scratches. Although the steel soup bowls will be in constant contact with liquid, they will not rust, stain or be discolored. They are therefore suitable not only for special occasions, but also for everyday meals.
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