When I was a young woman bicycling alone through France, I usually stayed in small hotels in tiny towns, far from the Routes Nationales. Family run and operated, these hotels had small dining rooms where the proprietors served excellent, simple food, always with care and kindness. Over the course of my 1500 mile journey, which took me all over France, I enjoyed at least a dozen variations on this soup. Each bowl was different from the others, no doubt due to what went into the stock. Without exception, every bowl was delicious! My interpretation of it is one of our favorites. It's a cinch to make, even on a weeknight. Like Nigel Slater, I take advantage of the practicality of working through this in a linear fashion, i.e., chopping as I go along, and not following a strict mise-en-place process. (Doing it this way allows one comfortably to put this hearty one-bowl meal on the table in 45 minutes.) I must mention, too, that the bits of meat are my addition, to make it a "main dish" soup. It's a great way to use leftover bits of ham or smoked turkey. NB: this soup relies on a well-made, aromatic stock. Enjoy!! ;o)

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