Cracked Cauldron Spillings

While it hasn't gotten cold yet, it is winter, and a time when people naturally seek warmth, especially in their food and drink.

Soups, casseroles, stews, hot ciders, mulled cranberry juices, hot cocoas, all those yummy things.

Well, over the weekend, I redid the tri-mushroom soup, and I have to say, less mushroom is better. At least, I think so.

I used morels, wood ears, and portobellos diced fine and sauteed with onion in unsalted butter. A scatter of flour made it thick and clumpy, which I thinned with a rich broth and then thinned further with white wine.

I still hate it as a soup all by itself, although I had undying love declared over it. That's because I hate mushrooms.

A good cook can cook things they hate so well other people swoon with delight.

I think I'll take what's left of this mushroom soup and use it to make a hunter's stew: venison, carrots, potatoes, juniper berries, and a tantalizing dash of tarragon. It should make a really good stew, and I can always pick out the mushrooms, right?