Spring soups: fresh, fragrant, and digestive.

Don't be scared by the fact that the heat is coming and that April is not exactly a soup season. Spring is settling in and the vegetation is at its peak expressiveness. Therefore, from a flavor, fragrance, and plant pleasure perspective, it is the best time to savor our beloved little plants. We transition from rich, caloric, and hearty soups of the colder seasons to the more delicate and fragrant ones of spring. 

Let's be drawn in by the colors: the green of wild herbs, the more untamed ones like Schioppettino or Carletto, Dandelion, wild radicchio, spontaneous green asparagus, broad beans, the first peas, and so on. Let's mix these little plants and herbs with the last remaining lentils to add a bit of consistency and creaminess. Let's start crushing the first leaves of basil that are taking shape in our gardens or in pots on the terrace. 

A lovely soup of fresh broad beans and lettuce with celery that smells of the field. Perhaps we can pair it with escarole and the tops of the first sprouts of wild fennel. And here, friends from the south by the sea can certainly indulge! Nevertheless, let’s not disregard a good legume soup yet. They are always vegetarian and vegan protein sources offering valuable alternative nutrients. 

In short, this period is the best if you want to savor the goodness of the first fruits and sprouts of the earth. Moreover, it is the last time we can still delight in a warm and hearty dish: there are still a few tail ends of winter left. So: good earth to everyone!

Bernardo Pasquali
 

S&M