Tea Room Tales & Tidbits
Table of Contents
Fairytale Pumpkin Soup
You never know what you are going to find when you head out to Smiths' Apples and Farm Market on the River Road outside of Port Elgin. Not only do they have an excellent variety of apples (and best tasting) but they also have an assortment of fall veggies. I love to go visit Micki and Steve, they always have interesting tales to tell and new crops to share. One day while picking up some apple blossom honey (made with the help of local bees and the Smith's trees) I was fortunate enough to pick up something new - a fairy tale pumpkin. When I saw the exaggerated shape and ridges, I just had to try it for pumpkin soup. I gave it a whirl and it turned out so wonderful that I proudly took the folks at Smiths' a jar of their own to taste.
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 large cooking onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 large Jonagold, Honey Crisp, or Royal Gala apple
- 10 cups peeled, cubed pumpkin. You can also substitute with butternut or Hubbard squash
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
- 1 cup dry chicken stock (bullion)
- 1 litre buttermilk
- 1 litre 2% milk
- 3 tsp curry
- 1 tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- Place a large soup pot with a heavy bottom on the stove and set at medium heat.
- Add butter, chopped onion, garlic and chopped celery (including the leaves). Sauté until onions and celery appear to be browning on the edges.
- Fill pot 3/4 full of water.
- Add dry chicken stock, pumpkin and rice.
- Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Add spices stirring, enjoy the aroma of the soup.
- Boil for 20 minutes and then add buttermilk and milk.
- Turn heat down to minimum, stirring occasionally.
- Blend until creamy smooth before serving.

