To begin.....

For the conversion table see below...

  

Potage Minestrone

Welcome and thank you for stopping by. I think this blog needs a beginning, so I have chosen a minestrone soup, which was the first thing I cooked 22 years ago, aged 22 on my first day of cooking school. It was in the end a humbling experience as I was expecting to cook some elaborate lobster dish. So, a little crossly I calmly watched, easy I thought. Then we went to make it and everything had to be cut exactly to a precise size. Which was fun but then we tasted it and I was so excited. Amazing, so much from so little and not a stock cube in sight. I 'got it' that first day so simple yet everything in a bowl. Ever since, it has become my re-boot button for my life. I use it to comfort, reassure or just resource and remember. We have all much to learn whatever age we are......

400g white beans (soak overnight and cook an hour or good quality ones from a jar)

100g streaky bacon /lardons

200g carrots

100g green cabbage

6 shallots

1 leek

200g potatoes

300g skinned and seeded tomatoes

2 litres of water

100g linguine or spaghetti (broken up)

1 courgette

salt and pepper

basil

Cut all vegetables into small dice. Cook diced bacon until brown. Add shallots and colour a little add  beans and vegetables except courgettes (you can really add any vegetables you like,  peas, board beans, turnips ....) add the water and cook for 15 minutes then add the pasta and courgettes for the further 10 minutes. Season well and put basil in just before serving,  keeping  some to garnish.

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CONVERSION TABLES

One stick of butter is 1/4 pound or about 110 grams. 

Butter in the US is sold in one pound boxes, each box containing 4 sticks.

All-purpose Flour                                   Liquids

Cups / Grams

1/8 cup / 15 grams

1/4 cup / 30 grams                                                      1 ml = fifth of a teaspoon

1/3 cup / 40 grams                                                       5 ml = 1 teaspoon

3/8 cup / 45 grams                                                      15 ml = 1 tablespoon

1/2 cup / 60 grams                                                     100 ml = 3.4 fluid oz

5/8 cup / 70 grams                                                      240 ml = 1 cup 

2/3 cup / 75 grams                                                  1 Litre = 34 fluid oz = 2.1 pints = 4.2 cups

3/4 cup / 85 grams

7/8 cup / 100 grams

1 cup / 110 grams

Butter / Margarine

Cups / Grams

1/8 cup / 30 grams

1/4 cup / 55 grams

1/3 cup / 75 grams

3/8 cup / 85 grams

1/2 cup / 115 grams

5/8 cup / 140 grams

2/3 cup / 150 grams

3/4 cup / 170 grams

7/8 cup / 200 grams

1 cup / 225 grams

Weight
1 ounce             30 grams            
2  "                55  "               
3  "                85  "               
4  "                115 "               
8  "                225 "              
16 "                455 " 

Temperatures
Fahrenheit          Celsius
32 degrees          0 degrees
212 "               100 "
250 "               120 "
275 "               140 "
300 "               150 "
325 "               160 "
350 "               180 "
375 "               190 "
400 "               200 "
425 "               220 "
450 "               230 "
475 "               240 "
500 "               260 "