ISBN: 0595001823 Format: Paperback, 180pp Pub. Date: April 2000 Publisher: iUniverse, Incorporated Retail: $12.95 Order from Barnes & Noble Order from Amazon.com Order from Books-A-Million (There are many more internet book sellers to pick from to order your cookbook. Check with your own favorites if you wish to use a different vendor.)

At first glance you might think, Millennium Fruit Soup Cookbook is a dessert book, but it is much more. A quick check of the contents reveals Hearty Main Dish Soups such as Squash and Apple Soup and Papaya and Chili Pepper Soup, fruit based soups hearty enough to serve as a meal. Woods presents culinary treats that are popular in Northern and Central Europe with popularity growing in America. Fruit soups are often served as a first course, light lunch or as a dessert dish, their flavors and textures adding to a dining experience. Served hot or cold according to recipe or taste, these unique recipes are sure to be hit with your family or at your next dinner party. The book has a generous section on, Ingredients and Techniques, offering tips on preparation and use according to flavors and textures, and culinary recipes for: main course soups, light soups and sweet dessert soups sure to please the pallet of even the most sophisticated diner. "Millennium Fruit Soup Cookbook" was published by the Writers Club Press in 2000.

Free Recipes from "Millennium Fruit Soup":

Pineapple and Pumpkin Soup

1/4 cup margarine
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, minced
2 cans (9 oz.) pineapple, crushed
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
3 cups thin coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon paprika

In a large saucepan, melt margarine and add 2 tablespoons cilantro and onions. Saute until vegetables are lightly browned. Add pineapple, pumpkin, coconut milk and water. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally. about 20 minutes. Add the remaining cilantro, cardamom and paprika. Mix well. Serve.

Makes about 6 servings

Dry Fruit Soup

1 cup dried papaya, cut into bite-size chunks
1 cup dried pineapple, cut into bite-size chunks
1 cup dried small apricot halves
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups water, hot
1 cup orange juice
1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon honey
1 banana, cut into small chunks (not overripe)
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/4 cup cold water

In a large saucepan combine papaya, pineapple, apricot, lemon juice and water. Soak for at least 3 hours. Add orange juice, craisens, ginger, allspice and honey. Bring mixture to a boil over medium to high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until fruits are tender but still whole. Add banana. In a small bowl, dissolve arrowroot in water. Add to fruit and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Serve hot or cover and refrigerate to serve cold.

Makes about 10 servings

Reviews:

Millennium Fruit Soup Cookbook - David Woods
(Amazon.com review)
Fruit soup. Yes, I said fruit soup. Author and former chef David Woods has assembled a cookbook devoted totally to the art of making delicious soups from fruit. And one must agree with the statement he makes in his introduction, these are one of the stranger culinary treats. Mr. Woods also points out that fruit soups are popular in Northern and Central Europe but are just starting to catch on in the United States. Based on what I see, let's hope so.

After looking at some of the recipes I must admit are a few that pique my interest. For instance, The Fire and Ice Melon Soup. Watermelon, cantaloupe, zucchini, honey are all ingredients that one wouldn't first think of when making a soup. But this chilled soup blends these flavors to create a refreshingly good, versatile, and quick dish which can be served as an appetizer, light lunch, or even a dessert.

The book starts with a rundown on the ingredients used in the recipes.  There are some exotic fruits used in some of the recipes so this is a nice touch. In addition to two stock recipes to be used as bases for some of the soups, he also provides several ideas for easy to make croutons to use as a garnish.

Mr. Woods serves up over 90 recipes for fruit soups in his paperback book. Many are chilled soups that appear to be fast to assemble, perfect for summer when everyone is on the go. Who says soup is a cold weather dish? Not David Woods, and he proves it in this excellent, well laid out book.

Reviewed by: Heather Froeschl
(source: bookreview.com)

This book is a refreshing look at soup, and offers up a truly refreshing taste. Have you ever had the urge for something light but full of flavor? Something different but also a dish that you already have the ingredients for? I am certain that you can find the recipe that you are craving here. The Millennium Fruit Soup Cookbook offers a delectable variety of recipes that will tempt your tastebuds and pique your curiosity to try them. From the hearty, homey, apple stew to the heavenly ginger peach and cherry soup, there is a taste for everyone. Simple straightforward directions are so easy to follow that even children will enjoy creating these treats. What better way to get kids to eat their fruits and vegetables? And I promise you, that even the pickiest of eaters will dig in. This title is a must for any kitchen needing a little something special.