Soups can be light and refreshing with the added sweetness of seasonal vegetables and herbs. Paired with breadsticks or crackers, soups can be a full meal.

Stews on the other hand are a full-bodied mixture of large pieces of meat and vegetables melding together in a rich sauce. Mixed with short pastas or wide egg noodles, stews can be savored well into the winter months.

What makes both of these dishes both sensational and comforting?

Texture

Both soups and stew have varying degrees of shapes, color and weights. All these elements add up to give the course texture. The key to keeping great texture in food is to remember how much heat and exposure to oxygen the food will have. If you are making a large pot of soup or stew to reheat, under cook the vegetables. This way when you reheat the vegetables they will be the perfect texture. Also, if you are serving a noodle soup, keep the noodles separate until the time of service. The noodles will loose their al dente texture while in the liquid. If you are concerned that the noodles will not have the same flavor, use the soup broth as a cooking liquid for the noodles.

Aromatics

Another part of the appeal of comfort foods is the aroma. Herbs like bay, thyme, rosemary, oregano, chervil and basil all meld together permeate the senses. Their essential oils are released at different stages of cooking and are best when added to at the end of the cooking process. After the soup has been reheated, add fresh herbs to reiterate the based flavors.

Visual Appeal

It is true, we eat with our eyes first. There is nothing more appealing than seeing a meal served on an attractive plate, highlighted by bright vegetables and herbs. To increase the eye appeal of a meal, visualize what you want it to look like in bowl. If you were serving “Chicken Noodle Soup” you would want the chicken to be the first item someone would notice. Build your bowl by arranging the chicken first, noodles; add the vegetables and broth as garnish. This way all the main parts of the dish are featured.

Making soup and stew memorable requires the prefect balance of textures, aromatics and the overall presentation and makes the perfect compliment as we go into the colder months.