Rock Your Own Style Tomato Leek Soup

The sky spits out a constant rain of glitter. It intoxicates the imagination from a safe distance, like crackling runaway sparks of a fire that dance their way through chimney smoke. The scarf wrapped tightly around my neck is unbearably scratchy, and the groceries pull my shoulders into a submissive shrug.

The grocery store was a tumultuous ocean, a sea of arms in winter coats, hat tassels and little feet poking through grocery carts. We steered our way through moms wearing furrowed brows, with children crying salty tears, and ruddy faced dads with a far away look as though searching for signs of land.

"Go pick out some brown sugar" I say to Christina "I am going to go get us some water".

"Alright" she says as she clunks her way through the billowing swells of grocery carts down the baking aisle. When I get back she is still standing in the aisle empty handed, while a little old lady stands by her side, helping her navigate through the selection. I laugh "what is taking you so long?" The woman shoots me a scornful look as though to say I should have known better than to send Christina off by herself in these rough waters. The woman turns her cart in a huff and sails down to the cereal aisle.

We part ways again, I send Christina to the tea aisle and head over to the produce. When I get back I find her pacing slowly. "What are you doing? Did you find the tea?" "No" she said "I forgot what I was looking for". Christina, who can take on a job in technology with no previous experience and in weeks climb her way to the ranks of the top performers, is lost in a grocery store. On the way home I wondered if anyone in the history of the world has ever had as much fun together as Christina and I do.

Christina wears cowboy boots with snow pants and a big weathered motorcycle jacket with a sheriffs badge pinned to the front. Sometimes she likes to catch total strangers off guard by saying "there's a new sheriff in town" causing them to crack a nervous smile. The sight of her winter ensemble throws me into fits of laughter. "Ma'am" Christina said to the 20 something in the elevator one morning "does this outfit make me look like a freak?"

"Are you talking to me?" the woman looked up surprised. Christina nodded "Naw, you look like you just like to rock your own style".

Rock Your Own Style Tomato Leek Soup

Quick veggie stock:

throw 1 diced onion, 1 bunch celery, the ends of 1 bunch asparagus (the part you wouldn't serve), 2 bay leaves, 2 carrots, some peppercorns, and the greens of leeks into a pot and cover with water (about 6 cups). Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until fragrant and flavorful (about 1 hour).

Strain stock and bring to a boil. Add 4 large tomatoes, and 2 packages heirloom cherry tomatoes (pierce the skin of tomatoes with a knife first). In a separate pan, saute 2 yellow onions in a mixture of oil and butter (~2 Tbsp) with a pinch of salt until brown. Add to the simmering tomatoes. Cook about 30 min. Blend with a hand blender, then strain. If you prefer a more textured, fuller tomato soup, add 1 can crushed tomatoes (or just don't strain!). Add 4 sauteed leeks using the white ends only, some diced fresh dill, some fresh diced basil and some fresh ground pepper. Before serving add a little cream if you like. Enjoy!