Soup Season Slides Into Upstate New York

We've been hinting at it, wishing for it, and now it's here, officially and literally. I'm talking about fall, and ergo, that also means it's soup season. The weather has a nippy chill to it, the kids are bringing home the vile Plagues of Ailment home from school, and we're all home for some kind of elixir or magic bullet to help with this time of year's nasties. Different parts of the country enjoy different kinds of soups. In the Midwest, it's beer cheese all the way, in New England it's "chowdah". But what about right here in Upstate New York? I did a bit of a deep dive into soup recipes to save you time, dear reader.

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Geographically Specific Soup

There's a soup that's specific to Upstate New York, our version of minestrone. The dish is of Italian origin and has no set recipe. Consider this the John Coltrane song of soup, it's open to improvisation and analysis. I found a version of Upstate Minestrone from Taste of Home that contains sausage, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, and great northern beans that will fit the bill right now.

Oy gevalt, are those sniffles, bubbie?

I need to default to my own culture and upbringing for this one. Other Jewish kids reading are already nodding their heads in agreement. I will always stand by the thought that Ashkenazi chicken soup has some kind of cold curing magic within, especially if it's made with love. I remember my grandmother's soup fondly. The broth, the carrots, the matzah balls... This recipe is as authentic as it gets, I've vetted the ingredients, process, and pictures. Make it with love and you'll have what legend calls "Jewish Penicillin".

Pasta Fajuuuuuuuul, Paulie!

I asked Michele, our Director of Sales for what she makes this time of year, and she said pasta e fagioli. While her recipe is a family one, New York Times Cooking's version has a five star rating over 1,724 reviews. That many people can't be wrong. This is classic Italian comfort.

Straight Outta Tamil Nadu

This one is kind of an outlier, a little more obscure, and for the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd. If you know me, I'm well traveled and well eaten. One of my favorite haunts are the dosa shops found in ethnic Indian neighborhoods. Sambar is a soup and stew that's found in these shops, usually dispensed from urns. It's typically intensely spicy, loaded with vegetables, and great for opening up those sinuses and passages when you're under the weather. Serve it with idli, dip dosas in it, or whatever you choose. The recipe is time consuming, but anything worth making from scratch usually is!