Of Soup, Disasters, and Carrying On
Or are they? Surely one must shed the tears sometime.
Well, let's look for other allies, perhaps Awareness and Enjoyment. If you noticed that the price on the gorgeous little chanterelles and oyster mushrooms at the markets just dropped, if you whisked them together with good butter, broth, and milk, and are this about to enjoy the soup with someone appreciative (of the food, if not of your situation), then you are alive and well at this moment.
Mushroom Soup
Take as many mushrooms as you have, up to a quart but less will work, and chop them finely. Be sparing with strongly flavored mushrooms such as shiitakes. Put them into a pot along with a hefty lump of butter. Stir over medium-low heat until the mushrooms are tender and slippery. Meanwhile, start some water boiling, and take the milk out of the fridge.
Add a fistful of flour to the soup, stirring briskly. Add a half cup of red wine, perhaps splashed from the glass you are drinking from. Stir for another five minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Add a cup of boiling water and either a cube of bouillon, or a tablespoon of verdurette. Or add a cup of chicken stock instead. Stir until starting to thicken.
(Yes, this takes time. Good. Otherwise you would just spend your time worrying about things you can't do anything about. Keep stirring.)
Add two cups of milk and a few twists of the pepper mill. Stir briskly. After that, stir occasionally until it starts to thicken. If the soup seems too rich (more like gravy than soup), add more water. Cook until as thick as desired. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve as is, or with croutons on top. Drink the rest of that wine.