by Pam Reiss

The first edition of Soup A Kosher Collection is a staple in our cookbook collection – an entire book devoted to one of our favorite food categories,SOUP! We thought the book was already perfect, so naturally we asked Pam Reiss why she decided to update and reissue it as opposed to writing a new book in the series. "The simple answer is that we were running out of copies of the 1st edition. It's been out of print in Canada for a while now and the distributor in the US was down to a few hundred copies.  My publisher (Whitecap) and I decided that it was time to do another printing and I wanted to add some new recipes. They thought that was a great idea so we added 20 new recipes and some new pictures as well."

For us, soup is the ultimate food – it is perfect in any season and for any reason. Soup can be served hot or cold, winter or summer. You can have a bowl of soup when you are happy, sad, sick or feeling great. It becomes a meal when served with bread or a sandwich or salad, and yes, it can even be enjoyed as dessert.

Soup A Kosher Collection, is a delightful cookbook consisting almost entirely of soup recipes. It is well written, well organized and contains an array of 160 recipes. As with the existing recipes, the new recipes are divided into dairy, parve and meat, with the majority of the new ones focusing on vegetables. There are two new recipes that include eggplant, one of Pam's favorites. " For dinner I love a bowl of Asian inspired noodle soups and wonton soup, so they're now included.  And for a nod to Israel I included a chicken soup seasoned with za'atar."

This edition has an updated looked plus the additional of more full-color photos. The recipes are easy to follow and are not complicated. Each includes nutritional information, storage notes and helpful instructions. This book entices you to make soup every day, every season.

Enjoy the following two new recipes: Italian Bean Soup and Spinach Coconut Curry Soup.

Soup  A Kosher Collection - 1st edition was nominated for the Cuisine Canada Cookbook Award.

Soup A Kosher Collection, 2nd edition, is available on Amazon.com.

About Pam Reiss:
Pam grew up behind the scenes in her parent's kosher catering company. She earned a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Minnesota, and is currently co-owner of a specialty food store, Desserts Plus, in Winnipeg, Canada. Pam's cooking philosophy is simple and straightforward. She has two rules: keep it simple and use the best ingredients. She knows about food and, after reading and using her book, it is clear that she knows how to cook.

She also wrote, Passover A Kosher Collection. We asked her what is next in the series: "I've started working on a new one which I keep referring to as an Hors d'oeuvre/tapas/small bites/appetizer/entertaining book.  I need to work on the title." Whatever she calls it, we know it will be terrific. Follow Pam on her blog: blog.pamelareiss.com.

January 9, 2012