The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper

"The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who wake up thinking about what they are going to eat for supper, and those who don’t. We are decidedly in the former camp; in fact, we wake up thinking about what we are going to cook for supper."

So begins The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper. Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift are the award winning host’s of Public Radio’s aptly named, The Splendid Table. Their book is more than a cookbook, though they handle that part of it with great aplomb. The book is also a bibliography, quote books, celebrity dish, advice column and how to meditation on the way we eat supper.

My favorite piece of advice:

The 450 F. Oven. Walk in the door and turn the over to 450 F. Even if you have no idea what you are going to be eating, this single act starts supper.

Here’s a recipe that required no oven at all.

Iced Cantaloupe Soup With Jalapeno And Basil

One 2 1/2-pound intensely sweet-smelling ripe cantaloupe
2 cups ice cubes
Generous pinch of salt
4 or 5 grinds of black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 2 large lime (about 1/2 cup)
Grates zest of 1/2 large lime


Finish

1 or 2 jalapenos, seeded and cut into a fine dice
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, coarse chopped
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice (optional)

1.Cut the melon into quarters. Scoop out its seeds and trim away the rind. Slice it into chunks and put them into a food processor. Add the ice, salt, pepper, sugar, lime juice, and puree. Stir in the grated zest.
2. Place the jalapenos, basil, and onions in separate small serving bowls. Pour the puree into individual soup bowls or into a pitcher for further chilling.
3. To serve, pour the soup into bowls and pass the condiments. The basil and jalapeno are the essential finishes for the soup, while the onion is an attractive option.

As you can see, I am committed to willing spring into existence, even with snow this week!