May 4, 2007
Update on the Stokage
Office manager Nona Nelson tried the Stok black coffee shot. Here's what she had to say:
"I poured the shot of Stok into a venti Starbucks latte and so far as I continue to sip it I have not noticed much of a difference, not much of a difference at all, no, no, no, not the slightest bit jittery, so just fine here, except I am typing really fast...but other than that I am juuuuusssst fiiiiinnnnne....not manic at all...all is goooooooood here...where can I get mooooooore of this stuff?????"
Our sports writer, Doug Doughty, also tried a shot. Although he opted to take it straight.
He wrote:
"That elixir tasted a little bit like cough medicine."
Okay, so much for our very unscientific analysis of this new product. Now, how 'bout a recipe for some creamy asparagus soup? Might be a good weekend for it. Read on:
Creamy Asparagus Soup
2 lbs. asparagus
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
5 cups chicken broth
Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. dry vermouth
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1. Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 ½ inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into ½-inch pieces.
2. Cook onion in butter in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and the thyme and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes, and drain.
4. Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). If you want a very creamy texture, you can put the puree through a food mill or press it through a sieve. Return blended soup to pan. Stir in cream. Stir in vermouth and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with asparagus tips.
Serves 4-6
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