I’ve know Susan almost as long as I’ve known Ron. Ron was living with his sister Susan when I met him, and it was comforting getting to know him within the context of family. They were living in Brookline, Massachusetts and I was living in Westborough, about thirty minutes away, but I spent a lot of time with them. I didn’t meet Ron’s other sister, Mary, until a bit later. Susan was (and is) an impressive cook – she has that chef-y ability to turn any vague notion into something very tasty, seemingly effortlessly. I am not that type of cook (hence the need for this collection). But what we do have in common is a love of cooking and a willingness to ask chefs to share their recipes.
Memories and food are so often intertwined. Here’s Susan’s story in her own words:
Past History:
“My mother and I went to the Crane Brook Restaurant in South Carver, MA for lunch nearly 30 years ago. It was fall and and a beautiful day; we sat outside overlooking the pond. I had never had squash soup and ordered it. It was amazing! I asked the waitress if I could get the recipe. She said sure and got my name and address. About a week later it arrived, hand written by the chef! I have saved it ever since, and make it at least once every winter.”
Current (just last week):
“We had a lot of squash, so I decided to make the soup. Mary immediately declared she did NOT like squash soup and would be having something else. Fine. While the soup was simmering, she said “that smells good maybe I’ll try some”. Long story short, she had a bowl, got a second one, took a pic, put it on Facebook, finished the second bowl and was considering licking the plate.
The restaurant is still open (apparently not for lunch). It has new owners, has been remodeled, and is indicated as “farm to table”. (The soup is not on the menu, maybe they kept it as a special.) If I’m ever in the area, I would definitely go.”
Susan’s Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Hubbard squash (or butternut, if that's what you have…)
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 2 onions (sliced)
- cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Roast the squash – In a 400° oven roast the squash until tender. Set aside to cool.
- Sauté the onions and combine the ingredients – In a large pot sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Scoop out the meat of the squash and add to the onions. Add the stock and cream.
- Simmer and finish – Summer for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree in a blender, adding more stock or water if it's too thick. Add syrup and seasonings to taste.