If you are keen on making soup from scratch, including making your own stock, then this book could prove extremely useful. The first chapter is dedicated to saving your scraps of vegetables, even the water you cook them in, to create a great base for some tasty soups. Green’s experience shines through, and her professional tips are what make this book.

The soup recipes are from all over the world, from New England clam chowder to a Thai Tom Kah Gai. A lot of them are quite involved, but full instructions are given, although some of the techniques involved may be more appropriate for an experienced cook rather than a complete beginner.

The book is American, and therefore some of the ingredients may prove more difficult, or more expensive to acquire in the UK, such as Alaskan salmon, white corn, or Pennsylvanian Dutch bacon. Due to the expense of the ingredients and the complexity, my impression is that the recipes included are better suited for an occasion such as a dinner party rather than a mid-week family dinner. However, the recipes are for large quantities, so I suppose you could make them in advance and freeze them in portions.

After the introduction chapter on stocks, the rest of the chapters cover different types of soups such as broths, bisques, and chowders

The photos are excellent, which I would expect from such an experienced food photographer as Steve Legato. Not only are there enticing images of the finished dishes, but plenty of step-by-step photos which I like to see.

The book finishes with a comprehensive index. There is also a list of suppliers for some of the equipment and ingredients but sadly, it’s pretty useless if you are outside the US. Overall, I think it is a great book if you are serious about making soup, but if you are looking for a quick meal to put together for a mid-week supper, this may not be what you are looking for.

The book is available now from Quarry