cchristie Food Journal

I love taking cooking lessons when I travel. Not only do I get a glimpse into the pantries and kitchens of a region, I meet some of the most interesting people. Chef Terri Milligan of The Inn at Kristofer's in Door County Wisconsin does a mean imitation of her mentor, Madame Laine Kuony, the grande dame of French cooking in the Midwest. She can also get a room of ham-fisted students to create choux pastry swans without embarrassing anyone or ruining her own reputation. No small feat considering the task involved piping dough through pastry bags and ladling ponds of chocolate sauce.

If you enjoy playing with food, the recipe for the swans and photos detailing their assembly are posted on my blog, Christie's Corner. For those who would rather spend the last days of summer chilling, Milligan's intriguing but simple soup might be more your style. Tart, spicy and refreshing, it's best enjoyed at a leisurely pace, preferably on an outdoor patio while watching the world go by.

Inn at Kristofer's Chilled Pinot Noir and Sour Cherry Soup
Makes 8 servings

• 2 1/2 pounds sour cherries, pitted (preferably fresh, but frozen and thawed is fine as long as the cherries haven't been sweetened)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar (more if needed)
• 2 1/2 cups (approximately) apple or cherry juice
• 2 cups Pinot Noir
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves (I use 1/4 tsp, but I'm a clove wimp)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (you can use cornstarch, but arrowroot makes a clearer soup, cornstarch can make the soup more cloudy)
• 1/3 cup water

1. Place cherries and sugar in a stock pot. Add enough juice to just cover the cherries. Stir to combine.
2. Add the wine and bring soup to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add more sugar if it's too tart.
3. Remove soup from heat. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree soup. Don't puree until perfectly smooth. Leave small bits of cherries.
4. Dissolve arrowroot in the water.
5. Return the soup to medium heat. Slowly add the dissolved arrowroot, stirring until the soup has thickened slightly.
6. Add the cloves and nutmeg.
7. Cool soup to room temperature, then finish chilling in the fridge (overnight if possible).
8. Serve chilled.