(for Kim, its one & only member!)
By Amy Rothenberg ND
The accordion book I made as a gift for Kim as part of her "Soup of the Month Club."This time of year, I think about the role of gift giving and receiving and how it impacts feelings of well being.
Increasingly, I am less interested in giving OR receiving material presents. Instead, I appreciate receiving and lean towards giving gifts of time & experiences, or of food and drink that are healthy, interesting or unexpected! I hope you might feel inspired by this little story and bend your own interpretation of gift-giving this time of year.
When the holidays rolled around last year, I needed something special for Kim, who many of you know as our New England School of Homeopathy administrator and part time receptionist at the clinic. She has worked hard for us for so many years; I wanted to create a gift that would save her time, be fun, creative and nourishing and which would “keep on giving.”
One day in December, working in my art room, I was thinking about a beautiful gift a patient of ours had given; it was a Chocolate of the Month Club, where each month we received a specially wrapped chocolate delicacy. As some of you have experienced, Paul is a real chocolate aficionado, so he in particular eagerly awaited these periodic deliveries and together we savored the unique flavors and textures of the gift.
Sitting in my sun-filled art room, with that thought percolating through my mind, I got an idea! I would make Kim the first and only member of the Soup of the Month Club. I would make a palm sized accordion book, with fold over pockets for every month, each with a named soup card. Then as the months rolled around, I would make & deliver to her front door the soup du jour and other accoutrements.
Well, the book came out so sweet (see the final result at top & bottom of this page) and I believe the meals have been very much enjoyed and appreciated by Kim & her husband.
Here's to your own inspired gift-giving and feelings of well being this holiday season. We're sending bright wishes to you & yours with hopes for a healthy and peaceful new year.
And of course, I hope you also enjoy the soup recipes below! Drop me a line if you make a soup and tell me what you think.
- Lentil Vegetable Soup - January
- Chicken Soup - February
- Potato & Leek Soup - March
- Red Lentil & Black Bean Soup - April
- Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup - May
- Cream of Asparagus Soup - June
- Chilled Cucumber Soup - July
- Gazpacho - August
- Minestrone Soup - September
- Squash/Pumpkin Soup - October
- Turkey Soup - November
- Corn Chowder - December
