Potato, Leek, and Tomato Soup

Winter's been dragging on this year, so we're still making thick and hearty soups. This one is really simple and really good.

What you'll need:

A couple of potatoes: two or three mid-sized spuds.
About half a pound of tomatoes.
Two leeks.
Half a cup of heavy cream.
Some chicken stock or water.
Parsley.
Butter.
Salt and Pepper.

Just getting started. The leeks are in the pan.

Slice up the leeks, only use the white and very light green parts. Put them in a pan (or use a soup pot) with some butter. Cook until they've sweated and are soft. While they're cooking, chop the tomatoes. Add them to the mix and cook until they've rendered their juices.

Leeks and tomatoes in the soup pot. (I'm using pictures from two different tests of this recipe.)

Skin and dice the potatoes, add them to the pot and stir to mix; leave these on the heat for a few minutes and then cover with the stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and let simmer for about 25 minutes. Cut off the heat and let the soup cool. Blend the soup and then stir in 4 ounces of heavy cream. The consistency of the soup should be about equal to that of the cream when you're done. If it's thicker, OK, but if you want it thinner you can add some milk or water. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle some chopped parsley over the soup and serve with crusty bread and a salad. 

This goes well with a light red like a Cotes du Rhone.  

Uniform of the Day: Writers' Conference, Seattle.

So, I'm off to Seattle this week for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) 2014 conference. This is our (the Veterans Writing Project's) biggest event of the year in terms of exposure: about 12-15K people show up. We'll have a table display, sell some books and journals, and talk, talk, talk. Networking, they call it. I'm also sitting on a panel discussion with two colleagues discussing the work we do in creating a best practices regimen for working with veterans in the writing classroom.

The zeitgeist at the conferences is slightly Bohemian--these are writers after all--and slightly Burning Man. People dress; there is the occasional costume. My packing list will not reach the edges of the continuum.

Since it's Seattle, footwear and outerwear will be critical choices. I'll carry the Allen Edmonds Jefferson full brogues and the AE Amok chukkas. I'll likely wear the AE Ashbury Chelsea boots on the plane. I'll wear the Barbour Beaufort with a Burberry scarf as I'm heading out of DC -- still winter here folks. (I'll have the Barbour pile liner in the bag in case it's really cold when I get back.)

Here's the pile before packing: Two sport jackets, some jeans and cords, shirts, sweaters, shoes, ties, a liner for the Barbour, and a ball cap... just in case it rains. Add toiletries, a flask of Laphroiag, socks and underwear, and the bag is full.

Likely day one uniform is a pair of tan cords, RL Polo chambray shirt, Drakes wool Donegal tie, a black vest and a J. Press Harris Tweed sport coat and the Jefferson brogues. I'll be reading that evening from my new book at Kell's Irish Pub in Post Alley, near Pike Place Market.

Day two is a bit more laid back, so I'll probably wear this Brooks Bros yellow Oxford stripe OBCD under a wool crewneck and jeans with the Amok boots.

Day three features a panel discussion along side two university writing program directors. Olive jeans, a pink OCBD with a Sid Mashburn blue grenadine tie and the grey Harris Tweed with the Jeffersons--add a blue crewneck for the walk over to the site in the chilly morning. 

AWP is always a crap-shoot. Success muchly depends on how many people walk past your booth, so choosing a location is a critical skill. Last year in Boston, we sold enough books to pay for the table fee. Fingers crossed this year.