Little winter luxuries

SOUP DE LOOP

Soup is the most basic of hearty peasant fare yet, for me, its one of winter's luxuries. It doesn't cost a lot of money - its value lies more in its rarity, being seasonal, than in its net worth - but I feel very comforted, very spoiled and very..rich..when I eat it. And thats as good a definition of luxury as any. Speaking of luxury,  have you noticed the rising obsession with it? A few decades back, only film stars and shipping tycoons touted brands like Louis Vuitton and Hermes. Today, every second blogger has a luxury handbag collection worth insuring. Luxury is 'in'.

Psychologists say that this trend is not so much spawned by the desire for better quality as it is by the desire to feel good. In other words, my sense of self-worth motivates purchase decisions more strongly than the credentials of the product itself. If I think I'm worth it, I buy up. Whether that's true or not, the whole 'luxe' concept is certainly very personal; one man's luxury is another man's ho-hum. Like my soup. Scrummy soup on a rainy winter's day makes me feel good, therefore I count it as a luxury.

I'm not against luxury. Sure, sometimes its obsessive and repulsive in its sheer weirdness..but I happen to think that, within reason, its a healthy and affirming thing. I like what one commentator wrote "Luxury is what rewards us individually for who we are". I use luxury to reward myself, to celebrate life and to make the everyday, special. And that's why most of my luxuries are small ones. Like a scented candle. Like a bunch of roses. Like a hot shower. Like an early night. Like a bowl of soup. By the way, the secret to a truly scrummy soup is to make it with homemade stock, so here's a recipe for that (you're welcome).

how to make soup stock

In case you hadn't figured it out yet, winter is one of my favourite seasons (my other favourites are spring, summer and autumn :) and one of the main reasons is that I eagerly anticipate winter's little luxuries every year. Enjoy this video in which I share my top 3 little winter luxuries..and do tell me what yours are, I can always make room for a little more luxury in my winter life.