The thing about March in Northern California is that you never know what it’s going to be. One day, it’s beautiful, warm and balmy – you wonder how it could have ever been bad; and the next day, you’re caught in a torrential downpour, with water that chills you to the bones.
It’s kind of like life that way. Sometimes the sun is shining and it feels like everything is just right, suddenly, before you even know it, the tides turn and all you have is rain and clouds and gloom.
You try to weather the storm. But it's long. It feels like forever. You wonder how you could possibly stand being in the rain for one more second. You don't know what to do. You consider goin to bed and never getting up again. And just when you think that floods of the heavens will never cease, suddenly, just like that, the sun comes out.
You see, you can’t go through life without the rain, just like you can’t go through life with only sunshine. They need each other, the way the moon needs the sun, the yin - the yang, the body and mind.
We can only appreciate the sunshine because we’ve weathered the storm.
And next time, when we see the storm on the horizon, when we hear the drip drip drips, when the clouds seem like they’ll never go away, we find that this time, we’re armed with the knowledge that, there’s no need to worry, the storm will pass and eventually, if we keep on moving, the sun will shine again.
It’s kind of like life that way. Sometimes the sun is shining and it feels like everything is just right, suddenly, before you even know it, the tides turn and all you have is rain and clouds and gloom.
You try to weather the storm. But it's long. It feels like forever. You wonder how you could possibly stand being in the rain for one more second. You don't know what to do. You consider goin to bed and never getting up again. And just when you think that floods of the heavens will never cease, suddenly, just like that, the sun comes out.
You see, you can’t go through life without the rain, just like you can’t go through life with only sunshine. They need each other, the way the moon needs the sun, the yin - the yang, the body and mind.
We can only appreciate the sunshine because we’ve weathered the storm.
And next time, when we see the storm on the horizon, when we hear the drip drip drips, when the clouds seem like they’ll never go away, we find that this time, we’re armed with the knowledge that, there’s no need to worry, the storm will pass and eventually, if we keep on moving, the sun will shine again.
This is the kind of thing to eat in rain storm, or (if you’re me) any other time you want. There’s nothing better than chunky vegetable soup to warm you up and make you feel like you’re eating some real food.
KD's Note: This is probably not a traditional Minestrone, as I have ommitted the tubetti pasta and the pancetta that was in the original recipe. Feel free to add them if you are so inclined.
KD's Note: This is probably not a traditional Minestrone, as I have ommitted the tubetti pasta and the pancetta that was in the original recipe. Feel free to add them if you are so inclined.
Minestrone Soup (adapted from Michael Chiarello)
Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
6 medium garlic cloves, each cut in 1/2 lengthwise
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions (2 small onions)
1 cup small-diced celery (2 medium stalks)
1 cup small-diced carrots (2 to 3 medium carrots)
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary or thyme leaves
1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes 4 cups small-diced zucchini (green/yellow) (5 small zucchini)
2 cups small-diced, peeled russet potatoes (1 large russet)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
In a large saucepan over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, celery, and carrots.
Cook until the vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Add the chopped herbs. Raise the heat to high. Add the beans, tomatoes, zucchini, and potatoes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then bring it down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes, skimming any foam off the top of the soup. Season generously with pepper. Add salt, to taste. Serve warm with Parmesan and olive oil passed at the table.
Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
6 medium garlic cloves, each cut in 1/2 lengthwise
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions (2 small onions)
1 cup small-diced celery (2 medium stalks)
1 cup small-diced carrots (2 to 3 medium carrots)
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary or thyme leaves
1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes 4 cups small-diced zucchini (green/yellow) (5 small zucchini)
2 cups small-diced, peeled russet potatoes (1 large russet)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
In a large saucepan over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, celery, and carrots.
Cook until the vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Add the chopped herbs. Raise the heat to high. Add the beans, tomatoes, zucchini, and potatoes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then bring it down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes, skimming any foam off the top of the soup. Season generously with pepper. Add salt, to taste. Serve warm with Parmesan and olive oil passed at the table.
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