“Soup” is an all-embracing word that includes every possible kind whether thick, thin or clear. In French the word for soup is potage, but this is usually applied only to the thick soups and is never applied to clear soups.
Although usually served hot as the first course of an everyday meal, many soups can also be served cold, and clear soups in particular can be served in jellied form.
Soups are made from an almost unlimited range of ingredients. It is possible to put both a clear and a thick soup on the menu every day of the year without having to repeat a recipe once.
Classification:
It is possible to classify soups under ten main headings as follows.
(a) Consommés: clarified stocks with the flavour of the basic ingredient; may be served plain or garnished, hot or cold.
(b) Bouillons: unclarified but clear stocks served plain or with a garnish; always hot.
(c) Potages: a very good quality white stock thickened with cream and egg yolks and finished with a garnish.
(d) Broths: cut vegetables cooked in a stock, sometimes with meat or poultry, not passed; always served hot.
(e) Purées: smooth, passed soups made from dried pulses or fresh vegetables.
(f) Creams: smooth passed soups made of vegetables, a dried pulse or chicken and always finished with cream; may be served hot or cold. hot or coldies made wil
(g) Veloutés: made with a second stage roux and an appropriate white stock and always finished with egg yolks and cream; may be served hot or cold.
(h) Fawn roux-based: made with a second stage roux and white stock, and may be finished with cream; may be served hot or cold.
(i) Brown roux-based: thick passed meat soups such as oxtail and kidney garnished with meat; always served hot.
(j) Bisques: thick passed shellfish soup finished with cream; may be served hot or cold.
Next: Terminologies of Soups