Book excerpt: This comprehensive cookbook contains over 200 recipes from all around the world. Choose from refreshing summer soups or spicy winter warmers. Select an intensely flavoured soup for a delicious appetizer or a hearty broth for a healthy lunch. The introduction gives step-by-step recipes for a range of stocks, from vegetarian to beef and Japanese to seafood, to make nutritious and delicious bases for your soups. Garnishes are suggested for the perfect finishing touches. With nearly 800 colour photographs, informative text, easy-to-follow steps and a superb collection of recipes, this is an essential guide to the art of soup-making and a vital addition to any kitchen. Features include: more than 200 delectable soups in one full-colour collection - delicious inspiration at your fingertips; a world-wide selection of enticing soups from classic French Vichyssoise to Hungarian Sour Cherry - from Thai Hot and Sour Prawn to hearty Italian Minestrone and from spicy Indian Beef and Berry to American Creamy Oyster Soup; soups of all styles, including chilled, creamy, rich, exotic, spicy, fruity, hearty and lavish; a comprehensive introduction includes step-by-step recipes for creating the perfect stock and suggests garnishes for a professional finish; and, all photographed, including step-by-step instructions and mouthwatering images of each finished dish. About the Author Debra Mayhew, who compiled this volume with some of the best recipe developers and home economists working today, is a highly experienced writer, food consultant and culinary editor and expert. Debra's other published works include Flipcook: Soup; Great Soup; The Cook's Encyclopedia of Soup and Hearty Soups.