Squash Soup

Warm and comforting.
Filling.
Savory.
Better when made ahead.
Easy.
We’re talkin’ soup here.

We’re firm believers in soup and always include one in our wine club party buffet. We keep it frozen in meal-sized portions when we don’t feel like cooking. And, we confess, we use soup to take care of pantry odds and ends or leftovers that are still good food but, maybe, aren’t so interesting any more on their own.

Whether it’s from leftover or fresh, roasted squash makes all the difference in the delicious but easy to make soup. We’ll apologize up front for being vague with quantities: soup, we think, should be made to your taste. As we say in the Urban Legend manifesto, “trust your palate–it’s all about you.”

We think the same about wine pairing. Grenache Blanc works welll with the slight sweetness of the squash, but so, for that matter, does Barbera. Cuvee Lola accents savory notes.

Pecan Paté

What dishes pair best with wine? We vote for ones loaded with meaty, savory, umami. Now one of the official “tastes,” it literally means “essence of deliciousness” in its original Japanese. With their own savory flavors, red wines particularly love pairing with umami-rich foods–like, for example, our rich, creamy, savory Pecan Paté.

Try our utterly delicious Pecan Paté for an easy-to-make vegan appetizer that’s best if prepared in advance. A perennial favorite with the Urban Legend wine club, it’s a perfect complement to virtually any wine. Adapted from a recipe from Outpost Natural Foods (outpost.coop)