03/04/2025
The older I get, and the longer I cook, the more I appreciate the meals made with very little.
For me and my family..every once in a while it can get lean. I’m self employed as a chef/owner, and occasionally the calendar doesn’t line up with the food gigs. It can get tricky at times making it all happen.
Cue flavour memory and tradition:
I think about my Grandfathers Minestrone. I absolutely HATED it as a kid, and its forced feeding was often accompanied by a history lesson in Sicilian hardship, and the old-world’s use of creativity. Eye roll to the max…
Necessity is the mother of invention:
Use what you have, make it make sense, and above all else…make it delicious. It’s no secret that the world’s great cuisines were birthed through struggle, scarcity, and the ingenuity of creative cooks.
I’ve spent good money on books celebrating the simplicity & art of culinary minimalism like the “Mob 6: Tasty 6-Ingredient Meals”release ( and crew crush btw).
I’m not embarrassed to say that, while working this recipe, I felt a strange sense of belonging and kinship with the kitchen ghosts who made something out of nothing.
I take pride in the knowing that I can make a little, taste like a lot. And, when you’re motivated to feed the ones you love, a deep gratitude takes place when you see them find nourishment and enjoyment.
This soup is a love letter to the little bits that make us better cooks, and help keep our bellies full.
Enjoy. X.