As days grow shorter and the cooler nights set in, the warmth of a hot cup of soup feeds the body and soul. Soup is probably the simplest way to integrate tea into food. Tea adds another dimension to the broth. The broth of a soup is its heart, so let’s give it a little extra heart.

Broth:

4-8 soup bones (choose bones with a good amount of meat on them.  The less meat they have the more bones you need)
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 32oz beef stalk
1 32oz vegetable stalk
1 floret of garlic cut in half
½ white onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
2 tbsp Darjeeling Black Tea (in a sealable steeping bag or wrapped in cheese cloth and tied with butchers twine)

The quickest way I have found to make broth is in a pressure cooker. It can also be done on the stove top but it will take twice as long. It is only necessary to wash, not to chop or peel any of the ingredients because they will be discarded. In addition the peel of the garlic and onion add a nice rich tone to the broth. Place all the ingredients into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 ½ hours. Take out the soup bones as well as any of the meat that has fallen off. Remove the meat from the bones; chop it into bite size pieces. Reserve all the meat for later. Discard the bones along with everything else. Strain the liquid into a large soup or stalk pot add 4-6 cups of water and bring to a boil.

1 28oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp salt
1 cup quick cook barley (to substitute with regular barley add it to boiling stalk 45 minutes before adding the other ingredients)
2 celery stalks diced
2 large shallots diced
1½ cup baby peeled carrots cut into thirds

Put all the ingredients into the boiling stalk and reduce heat to medium. Allow soup to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until barley is cooked and vegetables are fork tender. Add your chopped beef back in and allow soup to set for 5 minutes. Serves 6-8 people.

Now it seems it is time to curl up with a nice cup of tea, a hot cup of soup and a good book. Listen to the fire crackle as you feel the warmth encompass you.

See more of Janet Sanchez’s articles here.

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