We had a lovely dinner - steak, pasta with pesto & brussel sprouts .. with frozen margaritas. mmmm.. It was nice. Then we watched Forest Gump. That's a good movie, but it's rather sad. Jenny was a low life.

By popular demand (by one person hehehe) the recipe for cabbage soup - this comes out of a very old cook book (1966 copyright) Mastering The Art of French Cooking - by Julia Child and some other people. This was one of my mother's cookbooks, although I never actually saw her use it... I'm going to type this as it is written because I like some of the commentary in the book. I'll add my own comments also in italic. Oh and I've never really liked cabbage soup, so I have no idea what possesed me to make this one day, but I'm glad I did.

(imagine this being told in Julia Child's voice)SOUPE AUX CHOUX - GARBURE (Main-course Cabbage soup)

This fine and uncomplicated peasant soup is a comforting dish for a cold winter day. In the Basque country, a good cabbage soup must always include a chunk of lard rance, their slightly rancid and much appreciated salt pork I personally prefer something on the fresher side... rancid... even slightly, does not appeal to me. Plus it's hard to ask for that in the grocery store. "Excuse me, but do you happen to have a chunk of rancid pork back there?" ; otherwise, the dish is considered to lack distinction even though I make it 'lacking distinction' it's pretty damn good. In neighboring Bearn, confit d'oie - preserved goose - is added to the pot to warm up in the soup at the end of it's cooking again.. this is not something I do.. haveing never seen confit d'oie in Albies, I've never picked it up ;o).

For about 8 people

3 1/2 quarts of water
3 to 4 cups peeled, quartered boiling potatoes I generally don't peel my taters, as I do like the flavor the skin gives, and I just hate peeling potatoes.
A 1 1/2 pound chunk of lean salt pork, lean bacon or smoked, unprocessed ham The first time I made this I used salt pork, the next few times just cheap pork cuts and this time pork neck bones for soup - every time it's been just great - the only difference is the amount of salt you will add at the end.
2 pounds or 3 quarts of roughly sliced cabbage
8 crushed peppercorns or a big pinch of ground chili peppers
Salt as necessary, added near the end
6 parsley sprigs tied with 1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp majoram
1/2 tsp thyme
4 cloves mashed garlic
2 medium onions studded with 2 cloves
2 peeled, quarted carrots
I generally add a few generous dashes of Tabasco toward the end of cooking if I feel it needs a little kick.

Optionals additions: I've never seen the need to add any of this, it tastes just fine without.
2 to 4 peeled, quarted turnips
2 to 3 slided celery stalks
1 to 2 cups fresh white beans, or half-cooked navy beans, or add canned white or red beans to soup 10 to 15 mins before end of simmering.

Instructions:
Place the water, potatoes, and meat in the kettle and bring it to a boil.

Add the cabbage and all the other ingredients, Simmer partially covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Discard parsley bundle. Remove meat, slice it into serving pieces, and return it to the kettle. Correct seasoning. skim off accumulated fat I have yet to have to do this, never added fatty pork to it... If not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. Reheat to simmer before serving.

Serve in a tureen or soup plates, accompanied by rounds of hard-toasted French bread...

I usually let my soup simmer for a while, make it early in the day so the house smells good all day. And no it does not smell like cabbage cooking (gag). At least not when I've made it. It smells really good. It's totally easy to make and relatively cheap.

Well Kent just brought me chocolate. Damn he's a good man. :o) although he made me promise to clean the kitchen in exchange for him getting chocolate for me. *sigh* I will do just about anything for chocolate when I have PMS.

gotta go eat my chocolate... mmmm...