Pair 'Delicious Ham and Potato Soup' with the captivating exploration of climate change in 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers and enjoy it with a warm Irish Coffee. The soup's hearty, comforting flavors complement the novel's environmental themes and the Irish Coffee's rich robustness. This pairing provides a warm and introspective experience, encouraging contemplation of how personal and environmental elements intertwine, just as the soup, book, and beverage harmonize together.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4-5 medium potatoes)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked ham, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups milk or half-and-half
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the vegetables and broth: Stir in the diced carrots, celery, and potatoes. Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced ham, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes and vegetables are tender.
- Make the milk mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk (or half-and-half) and flour until smooth.
- Thicken the soup: Gradually pour the milk mixture into the soup, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir the soup for another 5-10 minutes, or until it has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Add the cheese (optional): If using, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and well combined.
- Serve: Ladle the ham and potato soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
The Overstory
An intricate narrative that weaves together the lives of several characters and their interactions with trees and the environment. The book explores the profound and often overlooked connection humans have with the natural world, intertwining environmental themes with personal stories to create a tapestry of narrative about nature.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction Winner of the William Dean Howells Medal Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize Over One Year on the New York Times Bestseller List A New York Times Notable Book and a Washington Post, Time, Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year "The best novel ever written about trees, and really just one of the best novels, period." —Ann Patchett The Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of—and paean to—the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.
Discussion Questions
- How does Powers use the lives of trees as metaphors for human experiences and interconnectedness?
- Discuss the narrative structure of 'The Overstory' and how it mirrors natural processes.
- What role do the forests play in shaping the identities of the characters?
- How does this novel challenge or change your perspective on environmental activism?
- In what ways do the stories of the individual characters interconnect and build on one another?
- Discuss the impact of technology on the natural world as depicted in the book.
- What is the significance of the book's title in relation to its themes and messages?
- How does 'The Overstory' address the concept of legacy, both personal and environmental?
- Explore the theme of survival in the book, for both human and non-human characters.
- What emotions does the book evoke when considering the current state of the world's forests?
Authors:
Richard Powers
ISBN: 039363552X
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published Date: 2018-04-03
Warm Irish Coffee
A classic warm cocktail that blends the robust taste of coffee with the sweetness of Irish whiskey and brown sugar, topped with rich cream. Perfect for a cozy evening, this drink offers a balanced richness that harmonizes with the comforting flavors of the soup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
- Heavy cream, lightly whipped
Instructions
- Brew a cup of hot, strong coffee.
- Add the brown sugar to the coffee and stir until dissolved.
- Stir in the Irish whiskey.
- Pour the lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon to float on top of the coffee.
- Serve hot and enjoy with or after your meal.