Amazing Parsnip Soup!

Have you ever eaten parsnips? I guess vegans are more likely to have tried them than most others. I had tried them before I was vegan, at one of our favorite restaurants. I was surprised at how creamy, sweet and buttery they were, so I figured the chef must have just used a lot of cream and butter. So imagine my delight when, fixing them myself, I found this to not necessarily be true. The parsnips are just as creamy and buttery without any cream or butter at all -- not even vegan butter! The lowly parsnip's bleached-out-carrot appearance belies the luxurious flavor and texture within.

I found a very delicious, easy recipe for Parsnip and Almond Soup on a blog/website I enjoy reading called "Of the Kitten Kind" (http://www.ofthekittenkind.com). The recipe is in author Sally's archives under the title, "Days Like These . . . Parsnip and Almond Soup".  I find all of Sally's recipes to be simple and inventive and I love her photos. Plus, I really enjoy stretching my cultural boundaries and knowledge. Sally lives in Australia and uses words like "beetroot" and "capsicum". I get a little thrill when I make the effort to do a tad of research to solve mysteries such as these.

Back to the parsnips:  This soup is seriously amazing -- you must try it! Subtly sweet, savoury and buttery, the texture is positively silky, thick and rich. Sally describes it best with one word -- "lush". I had to close my eyes and let each mouthful linger, not wanting the luxurious experience to end. I know I sound a bit over the top here. Try the soup yourself and then judge. You'll get it.  Thanks Sally!