More Than Food

Autumn might just be my favorite time of year. That’s what I’m thinking as I walk along the edge of Fidler’s Pond with Stella, the dog. The brisk wind ruffles our hair as it spreads the earthy scent of fall around us and a fine mist gently surrounds us as we follow the path. After summer days of high humidity, this cooler air makes me want to kick up my heels. It’s as though autumn unleashes my energy. Stella feels it too as she takes off running.

This season is my heart's memory. I grew up with many gray, cool days. In Belgium, where the winters are mild and the sun doesn’t always show its face, rain or at least gray skies were often the order of the day. My wardrobe included tall green rubber boots and a yellow “ciré” (impermeable waxed jacket) for those interminable rainy days. And in the fall, the addition of a woolen sweater and socks kept the chill at bay.

Despite the wet and gloomy skies, the rain-drenched cobblestone streets shone with light. I also learned to love the glistening black outlines of the horse chestnut trees and beech trees in our area after their leaves had fallen. And tied to those memories, I smell a steaming pot of leek soup as I open the door to our house. 

Our elderly neighbor tended a large garden right next to our fence. His leeks were always a thing of beauty. They thrived on the moisture provided by a rainy climate and their specific green shoots brought color to his fall garden. Since he and his wife were childless, our family became the recipient of any extra produce he grew. My mother, a skilled cook, knew how to turn the leeks into the best soup for those chilly days. After taking off our wet jackets and boots, we’d sit down at a table with the soup tureen as its centerpiece. With fresh bread from the bakery down the street and sweet cultured butter from the milkman, that soup turned into a bone-warming feast. I loved to generously butter my crusty bread slice and dip into the soup, just enough to make the butter melt in my mouth. Though the skies outside the large dining room window were nothing but gray, the mood inside was sunny and warm. And that soup fed us more than food.

As bright leaves start their fall and cooler temperatures arrive, I’m already searching for soup recipes that will bring more than food to the table. Leeks are showing up at the Farmers Market and I know where to get the bread and the butter. It’s soon time to set the mood for fall.

Here’s the recipe.

Leek Soup

3 T. butter

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

5 large leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed well and sliced into thin rounds

1 lb. of baking potatoes (2 large), peeled and cubed

5 c. vegetable broth

1/2 c. half and half

1/2 c. milk

salt and fresh pepper to taste

Melt butter in a soup pot. Add carrots and leeks and cook stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned. Remove a 1/2 c. of leeks and reserve.

Add potatoes and cook for two minutes, stirring to coat. Add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer until vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes. Puree with a hand blender and add the milk. Add reserved leeks and reheat slowly without bringing it to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.