Moon Soup and Magazines

A few years ago, shortly after we moved to Utah, Darling Hubby and I invented Moon Soup. The idea behind it is to create a community environment. It's supposed to happen every month, on the Saturday closest to the full moon. During the cooler months there really is soup. I get up early and put on two pots of stock, one vegetarian and one for the meat-eaters. I usually bake a dessert and make a cheese plate. I let the stock cook all day, and that evening our friends and sometimes their friends each bring something to add to the pot. I let them choose which pot to add their contribution. We never know what we're having for dinner until everybody gets here. During the summer we turn it into Full Moon BBQ; everyone brings what they want to grill and a dish to pass. Last night we had a such a great group of twelve. It's so cool when everyone just jells and there is an easy rapport that circles 'round.



And magazines you ask? Over at Cream Puffs in Venice Ivonne hosts Magazine Mondays. It's to encourage us all to actually cook out of some of those magazines we have stacked up. So last night I chose these Hamburger Buns and this Buttermilk Raspberry Cake from the June '09 issue of Gourmet. Both recipes are available on the Gourmet website. Just click on over.

For the cake I switched the raspberries out for blueberries. And no, they aren't available yet here locally. I've been so jonesing for fruit that I succumbed to California berries at the grocery store. Thank goodness the Farmer's Market opens here next Saturday!