{"id":760,"date":"2014-08-29T11:54:10","date_gmt":"2014-08-29T17:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/?p=760"},"modified":"2014-08-29T12:06:19","modified_gmt":"2014-08-29T18:06:19","slug":"corn-chowder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/archives\/760","title":{"rendered":"CORN CHOWDER"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\"Sweet<\/a> \"Corn<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 CORN CHOWDER<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s corn season here in southern Alberta, where the long hours of sunshine ripen golden cobs to sweet perfection.<\/p>\n

As some of you know, I\u2019ve been collecting soup recipes for a while on behalf of the main character in the novel I\u2019m currently drafting (almost done!). So in celebration of the season and my dear protagonist, Libby, I\u2019d like to share another soup-making episode with you.<\/p>\n

Sometimes after a corn feast, a few cobs remain. Rather than heat them as leftovers, I make this soup:<\/p>\n

I saut\u00e9 bacon<\/strong>, then use the drippings to soften a small chopped onion<\/strong>, a cubed potato<\/strong>, and some sliced celery<\/strong>. I make a roux with flour<\/strong>, add the de-cobbed corn<\/strong>, salt<\/strong> and pepper<\/strong>, and a box of chicken<\/strong> broth<\/strong> (though Libby doesn\u2019t ever take shortcuts like that when an old hen is at hand), and simmer till cooked. Then I add a couple of glugs (say, \u00bd cup) of dry white wine<\/strong> and the same of heavy whipping cream<\/strong>, and heat just to a simmer. I top with shredded, aged cheddar<\/strong> and snipped chives<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

WOWZER!<\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019re salivating, let me give you a \u201ctaste\u201d of my novel. In this excerpt, Libby is applying for a job at a mom-and-pop diner named Phil \u2019Er Up\u2014not at all haute cuisine<\/em>\u2014and initially the owner\/chef seems disinterested:<\/p>\n

\u201cExperience?\u201d Phil wiped his hands on his apron.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked with the public most of my adult life, usually in sales.\u201d She hoped he\u2019d skip over the part of her r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that showed lack of references from her most recent employer. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCooking jobs?\u201d Apparently Phil didn\u2019t speak in full sentences. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, well not in a restaurant, per say, but I\u2019m handy with soups.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, no openings.\u201d Phil turned away, crumpling the sheet of paper into a ball and aiming at the garbage can. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI should mention that I just completed a seminar over at the Belle . . .\u201d She hadn\u2019t finished her pathetic pitch before Phil spun around.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cVirgil Oxenbury\u2019s seminar?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d she said.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGot <\/em>Simmer, Scoop, Slurp right here.\u201d He reached for the cookbook and slapped it onto the counter between them. \u201cCertified?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy certificate is coming in the mail.\u201d She hoped so, anyway. \u201cI love to design soups. I\u2019ve been cooking since I was quite young and have a real repertoire of recipes I\u2019d love to share with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as?\u201d Phil removed his bib apron, waved towards a table, and poured two cups of coffee. She assumed she should sit.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI make a terrific Beet Borscht with dill and shreds of beef\u2014\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo Ukrainian.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cUm, well I have a great little Thai Chicken Coconut Soup with lemongrass and chili seasoning\u2014\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo Asian.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Libby sipped her scalding coffee. Apparently this wasn\u2019t a very ethnically diverse restaurant. What attracted Phil to Chef Virgil if not his global palate? She\u2019d love to describe her fantastic concoction of Butternut Squash and Mango soup\u2014fragrant with fresh ginger and turmeric\u2014but Phil’s\u00a0ban on Oriental flavors put the kibosh on that idea. <\/em><\/p>\n

Libby glanced at the paper placemat menu lying on the table in front of her. Ah, he was playing to the Midwestern taste for down-home farm cooking. She could do that!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy Corn Chowder would knock your socks off, Phil.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To learn whether it does\u00a0or not, you\u2019ll have to wait till the novel is finished!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 CORN CHOWDER It\u2019s corn season here in southern Alberta, where the long hours of sunshine ripen golden cobs to sweet perfection. As some of you know, I\u2019ve been collecting soup recipes for a while on behalf of the main character in the novel I\u2019m currently drafting (almost done!). So in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=760"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":765,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760\/revisions\/765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}