[RECIPE] Ben's Famous Vegetable Soup

[pinback]

See, told ya.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I don't think fennel is a real thing. It reminds me of the tale, possibly false, I don't know, you're not the boss of me, I do what I want, of map companies that would put fake cities on their maps as copyright traps.

Fennel is a copyright trap for your soup.

[pinback]

It's sure a trap for my wallet! Am I right, fellow fennel-lovers?! Whew!

[Billy Mays]

I didn't get the parsley. That is decoration, NOT food. Look it up. Pinback uses parsley. Sad!

Years ago, I was in the same anti-parsley camp myself before my cooking enlightenment began.

It's a bad idea to discount the value of aesthetic beauty in cooking, it's one of the things that distinguishes us from the lower primates, and it is an important part of the overall experience. How many times do you hear people say that they don't want to try something because they "don't like the way it looks"? Making something more visually appealing will enhance the experience significantly, this is how our brains are hardwired to think.

The other important part about parsley is that it is a "bitter" which is a flavor profile that is often absent in many meals (usually found in citric elements which is not common). By adding this element into your meal, you are balancing out the flavor profile which ends up brightening up the taste of your meal: essentially pulling out flavors that are slightly deadened in the absence of a bitter.

Additionally, parsley aids in healthy digestion which also comes with a number of benefits.

The end result is that something that appears so minuscule is actually performing a number of important functions that will take your cooking to the next level. This makes it a necessity for me considering how easily available it is.

[pinback]

I agree with everything Billy Mays said, as usual. Where's this guy been all year??

[Billy Mays]

Thank you. Just doing a side by side comparison for a sake of demonstrating our point more clearly:


pinback:





Robb:




I'm sure they both taste great, but which one would you chose? Here the answer is easy, you chose pinback's. However, you add parsley to Robb's and the choice isn't nearly as easy anymore. And this is without taste and smell to help guide in your decision, this is just your brain preferring the one that is more visually stimulating.

[pinback]

you add parsley to Robb's and the choice isn't nearly as easy anymore

Until you learn what THIS is:



I'll never tell, though.

(I'll tell for $20.)

[Flack]

A collar.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

What is this, you grunting, traitorous daggits? MINE looks more appealing: Pinback's photo is reflecting about 40% of the light of his flash. Nice work Ansel Adumbs, maybe next time take a little goddamn pride in how you present your work to the world.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

BUMPER CROP

[Tdarcos]

What is this, you grunting, traitorous daggits? MINE looks more appealing: Pinback's photo is reflecting about 40% of the light of his flash. Nice work Ansel Adumbs, maybe next time take a little goddamn pride in how you present your work to the world.

I have to agree with Jonsey here. Ben's last photo was so bad it vanished, leaving nothing behind but an "image" marker.

[pinback]

Six and a half years later, still fantastic.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Making it today. Pinback's pictures did get better.

[Jizaboz]

Today must have been vegetable soup day. I decided to make "beef vegetable" myself for the first time a few days ago and bought the ingredients. My mom used to make it pretty often, so I did mine best I could from memory.

(BEEF version)

1 big can of crushed and diced tomatoes (or just crushed if you don't see combo can)
1 can beef broth
1 pound stew beef (raw beef cut into squares)
1 can corn
2 fresh potatoes cut up
1 big onion cut up
1-2 cups of cut up celery
About 3-4 carrots cut up
Salt, pepper, dash of chili/cayenne, and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce.
About a cup of water (however much it takes you to rinse the cans)

Threw it all in a crock pot and cooked on high for 7 hours. Outstanding. Basically turned out looking like PB's last picture.. but with a few diff vegetables exchanged and beef added.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I made Ben's recipe today, but I did not use soy sauce. I did use some "After Death" spide and some Jojo's Sriacha. It was great, I had two mugs for whatever the meal is between lunch and dessert.

And now I just remembered that I have to put it in containers, so thanks on that, me.

[Jizaboz]

I made the beef stew recently with fresh tomatoes (steamed and peeled) I grew and no celery. Fantastic.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I'm gonna make this this weekend.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I'm gonna make this this week. Tuesday.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Making it AGAIN