The last three days have been oddly autumnal. The pitch of the sun, the times of sunrise and set as well as the temperature, have seemed more like the end of September than the middle of August. Every year, there is a time when I suddenly notice that the summer is passing…so this is it.

Autumn and Winter are the times for soup (except Gazpacho, the only summer soup), so the change of weather has gotten me remembering my mushroom soup from last year. So, here it is…

½ Onion
1 Clove Garlic
Sautéed
½ litter Perry
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
4 Bay Leaves
½ tsp Ground Pepper
½ lb Oyster Mushrooms
1 Cup Water
Vegetable Bullion

Puree ¾ of the soup

Mix in ½ Cup Cream, ½ Cup Milk mixed with 1 heaping Tbsp of Flour

If you do not have Perry, I suspect a dry white wine would work well. The Perry I use is homemade. It was made with desert fruit, and so is not really anything you want to sit around and drink…a bit sour and insipid.

This soup is paired well with homemade sourdough, preferably a Wheat/Rye mix.

I recently started a new sourdough culture from the plums that grow in my yard. The bloom (or blush) that covers them is similar to that which you find on grapes…so it is yeast and various other microscopic flora. Just make a basic flour and water dough with a little honey mixed in. Rub it with the plums or grapes, and squish one of them into the dough, just for good measure. The bloom was living on the skin of the plum because that’s what it likes to eat. If you’re moving the little beasties to a new neighborhood it is good to give them something familiar to aid in the transition.