This soup is a great use for the current abundance of ripe tomatoes.

My mother would make this every summer, preparing the tomato base and freezing it in individual portions to use throughout the winter. She would then add a basic white sauce for a rich and fresh tasting cream of tomato soup. This soup has a very smooth flavor with just a hint of cloves.

Traditional Cream of Tomato Soup

• 8 c. tomatoes, stems removed, cut in half
• 1 onion, cut into think slices
• 3 c. water
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Cook everything until the onions are soft. Strain through a Foley food mill. At this point the tomato base may be frozen—before adding the white sauce.

Everything goes into the pot.

Here's the Foley food mill in action. Using this makes it so the tomatoes do not need to be peeled or seeded. This food mill is also good for apple sauce.

White Sauce (enough for about 4 cups of soup base, or to taste)

• 2 Tbs. butter
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 1 c. milk

Melt butter, whisk in flour. Over a very low heat (or turn off the burner as you do this step), and while constantly stirring, slowly—very slowly—add the milk, stirring with each addition until very smooth. After all of the milk has been added, continue stirring until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Cream of Tomato-Basil (or Rosemary) Soup

To the finished soup, blend in a nice sized bunch of fresh basil or rosemary leaves.

I added fresh basil to this batch.