Favorite Smells

[affreca]

One of mine is apples and cinnamon. Not the artificial smell of holiday candles. As with to many artificial scents/flavors, they simplify to just the high notes. I prefer the smell of apple pie baking, or cider mulling.

I'm in an experimental mood with cooking. I think it has to do with the weather warming. While looking up the recipe to roast asparagus in the Mennonite seasonal cookbook Thursday night, I ran across a recipe for chilled strawberry soup. I have frozen strawberries in the fridge (from the last time I craved a smoothy), but I needed apple juice and yogurt. Got some, trying now.


Chilled Strawberry Soup

1 c apple juice (I bet cider would work)
2/3 c sugar
3/4 water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves (or two cloves squished into as small as pieces as you can make them)

Mix in pot and bring to boil (the part that smells good). After sugar is dissolved, let cool.

3 c strawberries
1 c plain yogurt (recipe calls for 2 c, I only bought one, strawberry would probably also work)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend in mixer. Add to apple mixture with yogurt and vanilla. Serve (like all soups) with warm bread.