WINTER has definitely hit the district, with jackets, scarves, umbrellas and boots becoming part of our everyday attire. Heavy rain, gusty winds and cold temperatures are expected to hang around town for the next few days at least. I'm not sure if I can make everyone appreciate the unpredictable weather, but rememberrain always benefits mother nature and cold temperatures give us the opportunity to try out a new soup or stew recipe. Give this one a try& Southern Vegetable Soup Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 3 tablespoons chopped garlic 2 quarts vegetable broth/stock (about 2 litres) 1 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice 1 cup green beans (cut into 1/2-inch pieces) 1 cup peas (frozen are fine) 1 cup corn 1/2 cup diced carrots 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced zucchini 2 whole cloves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste Lots of (freshly ground) black pepper Preparation Heat oil in pot. Add onion. Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add vegetable broth and tomatoes. Add all vegetables and cloves. Simmer until vegetables are soft. Add thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. * * * * Did you know? " The earliest evidence of our ancestors eating soup was about 6000 BC, and guess what kind of soup it was? Hippopotamus! " In the late 1700s, apparently the French King was so enamored with himself that he had his royal chefs create a soup that would allow him to see his own reflection in the bowl. But as a result, consomme - clear broth was born " In the French Court of Louis XI, the ladies' meals were mostly soup because they were afraid that chewing would make them break out in facial wrinkles " Thin soups became all the rage in Europe during the 17th century, thus the soup spoon was invented because of the latest fashion trend; large and stiff ruffles that men and women wore around their necks. The design of the soup spoon was to accommodate wearers of those large ruffles and keep themselves from getting dripped on. * * * * A physicist, a chemist, and an economist are stranded on an island with nothing to eat. A can of soup washes ashore. The physicist said, "Let's smash the can open with a rock." The chemist said, "Let's build a fire and heat the can first." The economist said, "Let's assume that we have a can-opener."
