Simply Stupendous Spud Soup

Creamy Potato Soup with 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier Blend: 5/5

Certain weather calls for certain food. A brisk morning, with the sun just high enough to send slivers of light dancing about your bedroom, freshly fried bacon with a bright aromatic bubbly. A scorching hot July day, watermelon. A rainy late fall afternoon where the sun sets before five, potato soup.

With rain in the forecast and a few leaves left grasping their branches, Michael and I thought potato soup would be an excellent recipe to delve into. Now that I have started working, Michael mentioned to me that he had no problem helping out with dinners. So I left him to make this slow cooker potato soup. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Creamy-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx With 4.5 stars,167 reviews, and close to 9,000 ratings, this recipe was bound to be delicious.

My mom has a potato soup, that she makes either over the stove or in the crock pot, and it is good. Not great, just good. Now I have never made potato soup from scratch, but for some reason my mother’s gets a grainy consistency. Michael said that it was either because she used the wrong potatoes, or cooked the potatoes to long, but I was thinking that it might also be because she doesn’t use heavy cream or half and half. Although the soup does turn out thick, it’s not creamy, so I was hoping this soup was going to turn out smooth, rich, and delicious.

When the elevator doors opened yesterday at around 2:00, I was greeted with a flavor crescendo of onion, potatoes, and bacon, which only got stronger the closer I got to our apartment. Turning the handle and swinging the door open, I closed my eyes and took a long sniff. The rain outside, my tired body, and the day’s events seemed to leak out of me, only leaving the sweet smell of soup. The Crock Pot lid drummed lightly on the porcelain basin, each movement leaking more aroma into the room.

Placing the groceries on the table, I unwrapped the bottle of 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier blend I had purchased for 11 dollars at Dominick’s. With a description of bright pear, grapefruit, and tropical flavors, I thought the profile would match the light creaminess of the soup.

Michael decided to use cornstarch instead of flour for a thickening agent, when it came time to finish prepping the soup. This, he claimed, would help for the digestion of the soup, although I think when you have that much starch, a little flour is not going to have that much of an effect.

Finally after waiting until 6:00, it was time to eat. Michael sliced the green onion, and I took out the cheddar jalapeno bread I had picked up from the store. I could feel my the drips of saliva beginning to form in my mouth. I opened the bottle of wine as Michael topped the bowls with bacon, green onions, and sharp cheddar cheese. The bright colors against the creamy pale white soup reminded me of why fall isn’t that bad of a season after all.

The aromatics of the wine were loud and upfront. While Michael claimed to smell apricot, I was overtaken by grapefruit, with a lingering pear post aroma. I gave the wine a swirl noticing it’s light color, slight oakiness, and a light body. As the wine made contact with my tongue, I was over taken with a puckering sensation, that gave way to a medium sweetness. The finish was clean and smooth.

The soup sent tendrils of steam into the air, and with each glance, I noticed the shredded cheese start to take on an oozy consistency, just begging to be spooned into my mouth. I tried to get a perfect bite, a bit of bacon, a crisp green onion, a chunk of potato, and a shred of cheese. After blowing a bit, the soup was ready for take off. I closed my eyes and tried not to anticipate the flavors, instead just let them happen. Sending me to cloud nine, my body tensed, the smooth rich texture blanketed my palate, as the texture dissipated, bits of bacon seemed to rise, giving way to green onion, and a intense cheddar flavor all wrapped in a potato package.

Just when I thought it could not get any better, I took another sip of wine. Crisp fruity flavors seemed to bring out the brightness of the green onion, tamed the sharpness of the cheddar, and ran off with the potatoes to Vegas for a quick marriage before realizing that they were actually in love and made for each other. Each new bite layered upon the last, making for an intensifying dining experience that was only ended when I couldn’t take another bite.

Michael, usually a humble cook, was raving like he had just sculpted the next David. As well he should have. Defeated like the Nazis after WWII, we both collapsed onto the couch, struggling to stay awake for the latest episode of Glee. No longer did the rain matter, or the cold wind bother us, we were both warm and full inside. I don’t know about you, but I would definitely consider that another perfect pair.