Pea Soup

The farm is blanketed in thick fog. Pea soup-like over the ridge. I guess that is what inspired our supper this evening. The smell of our split pea soup is wafting up the stairs and it makes me happy to have yet another chilly, rainy evening. Split pea soup tastes better on a cool, rainy night. I imagine I have shared our simple recipe, but in case you missed it, will add it to the bottom of this post.

I had to make a feed run to Sunrise Farm in Stuart's Draft today. For some serendipitous reason, feed seems to always run out on a day when I don't feel like doing anything around the farm. Driving to get our animals healthy food is a good way to listen to a book on tape and put my mind on pause.

Driving onto our property, the still small voice suggested I go take a look in the barn, nice shoes or no nice shoes. There was Maggie's own precious Angel (in my humble opinion, an angel goat with some serious devil's horns!) standing in the stall with a brand new little baby girl. She had just passed the afterbirth, and all was well. What a treat to see our little Angel be a mama goat. So now, Stella is the only goat waiting to have her baby. I guess Cliff, the daddy, did a pretty good job. We have a bunch of very cute little goat babies. I can't wait to see them frolic and play in the fields.

Speaking of fields, as I headed into the house, I noticed that the Master Artist had been at work. Apparently he was getting tired of that faded gold in the fields and decided to brush on a watercolor layer of green here and there. A treat.

And speaking of treat, I highly recommend you make some split pea soup on one of these rainy days we have in our neighborhood this week. I have made the vegetarian version many times, but these days we like our dear comfort food bacon.

Saute in a soup pan or dutch oven:

one chopped onion
3 or 4 slices chopped bacon
2 or 3 large stalks chopped celery
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 carrots, chopped
(you can also add a cubed potato or two if you wish)

When the vegetables begin to soften and brown, add
2 cups split peas
8 cups water or broth
one bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
peppercorns
salt to your taste

Let the soup simmer gently until nice and thick. Serve with hearty bread or cornbread (I think I will make cornbread muffins tonight.) A hunk of cheese and a glass of milk to go alongside and you will feel like a very rich person. Especially if a fire is in the fireplace and you have family tucked around your table. If no family is available, then please make sure and take a good book to table. We will probably have family and a book around the table. We are almost done with At the Back of the North Wind, by George MacDonald.