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Hey everybody. It's Mariel.

Do you all remember the story Stone Soup?

It's a European folktale that starts with some hungry people and an empty pot.

They put a stone at the bottom and decide to make a soup out of it.

Then, little by little, other villagers walk by and add ingredients.

You know, this one's got some carrots, another one has chicken. This one's got salt. Next thing you know, they've got a soup.

Now, as far as folktales go, this is actually a pretty realistic one. You don't have to really

follow a strict formula when it comes to soup. That's why it's like one of those really fun things to start cooking with. And you, and it's all about like tasting all along

the way and adjusting. Sola Elwayley is a chef and the author of Start Here, instructions

for becoming a better cook. And she says you kind of can make a soup out of anything.

You might be like, oh, is this, uh, is this broccoli going to work with this wilted parsley? And then somehow you kind of can make a soup out of anything. You might be like, oh, is this,

is this broccoli going to work with this wilted parsley? And then somehow you let it simmer for 20 minutes, and it's like it was meant to be. Sol is a new mother, and she's been making a lot of soups lately. Because it's an easy thing to make one-handed with whatever you've got. Also, she says, soup is the perfect communal dish, especially on a chilly day.

You know, like a big bubbling cauldron on fire and everyone's gathered around it.

And soup kind of gives you that vibe.

There's something about it that's just like cozy and comfy and it feels so primal, like just eating out of one pot.

Especially because food gets so complicated these days.

You know, soup isn't like glamorous. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done.

On today's episode of Life Kit, how to make a great soup.

We'll talk about broth, texture, key ingredients, how to blend a soup without scalding yourself,

and we'll share a couple recipe ideas.

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