_Cream soups._--The strained pulp of cooked vegetables or legumes, with
an equal portion of thin white sauce, is the basis for cream soups. The
liquid for the soup may be all milk, part vegetable water and part milk,
or all vegetable water.
A binding of flour is used to prevent a separation of the thicker and
the thinner parts of the soup. This is combined as for white sauce and
is stirred into the hot liquid just before the soup is to be served. The
soup should be made in a double boiler and kept in this utensil until it
is served.
Four tablespoons of flour to each quart of soup is a good proportion to
use for thickening all vegetable soups that are not of a starchy nature;
half that amount will be sufficient for soup prepared from a very
starchy vegetable.
The value of the vegetable water should be impressed upon the pupils,
and it should be pointed out that these soups are an excellent way of
using the cooking water and any left-over vegetables. From these,
attractive cream soups may be prepared, and a combination of flavours
often gives good results.
_Accompaniments._--Crisp crackers, croutons, soup sticks, or bread
sticks are served with cream soups, and are valuable because they
necessitate thorough mastication, thus inducing the flow of saliva and
aiding in the digestion of the starchy ingredients of the soups.