The definitive collection of tried and tested recipes for soup lovers everywhere. The old-fashioned image of a long-simmering stock pot, bubbling for hours to produce a satisfying meal is a thing of the past. Today's soups will appeal to the carefree cook because they can be made quickly and are well suited to our fast-paced lifestyle. With some easy-to-learn basic knowledge, you can create a wide variety of soups: stocks, bouillons, consommes, meat, poultry, and vegetable. If time is really short, the book provides an entire chapter devoted exclusively to "Jump Starts" - virtually instant soups that combine fresh and commercially prepared ingredients. Soup Kitchen section lists in comprehensive detail the basic utensils and ingredients needed for making great soup every time.