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'A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes'
by Paulette Mitchell
Photos by William Meppem
Chronicle Books-- 2004
Buy it on Amazon

A good bowl of soup is a wondrous thing, providing a warmth and satisfaction that only well-executed comfort food can supply. And "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes" does just that, dishing up a variety of recipes for slurps that are endlessly appealing on both visual and taste levels.

Carnivores, fret not: With soups this flavorful you won't be missing anything. These are soups for all occasions, from a refreshing Chunky Gazpacho for lazy summer suppers, to a Cream of Tomato Soup with Puff Pastry Crowns to end a long, cold day, or even the light Gingered Pear Soup to conclude a rich meal. And, perhaps more notable yet, each and every one boasts flavors so strong and textures so rich that the soups can serve as full meals on their own.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

The only thing better than a warm bowl of soup on a cold day is coming home to a warm bowl of soup that someone else has thoughtfully prepared for you. Could this book be another gift idea? A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes is a collection of recipes that are not only beautiful to look at, but are also beautifully flavored. There is a solid collection of familiar soups, like Minestrone and Cream of Tomato, and some updated ones, such as Jalapeno Corn Chowder. There are many international recipes as well, which is a wonderful inclusion because so many soup books concentrate so much on traditionally American flavors of comfort food that they bypass many combinations that are standards in other parts of the world. For example, you'll find Miso Soup, Indian Cumin-Scented Coconut Milk Stew and Polynesian Peanut Soup. Don't forget the decadent sounding dessert soups, either. Adding Berry-Wine or Gingered Pear Soup to a dinner party will make guests feel like they're in a four star restaurant, since the fruit/dessert soup trend seems to be going strong.

It is worth noting that not only are all the soups vegetarian, but some are vegan as well. This shouldn't be enough to deter a meat-lover, though. Just add some cheese to the top of your soup or pair a cup with half a sandwich for lunch.

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