Lentil soup is gross, right?

As I mentioned before in my baked beans blog, I did not like beans of any kind for most of my life. Only in recent years have I begun to appreciate the bean, that they are not only super-healthy, but when cooked properly, quite delicious. I was never a picky eater at all, in fact my attitude toward new foods was always open, excited and willing to try most anything. I liked most every food I tasted my whole life, and so my love affair with cooking became what it is. Anyway, I liked practically everything, except beans. Even in culinary school I wasn't swayed from my stance against them, apparently SCI students weren't producing anything that great. The point of this entire silly paragraph is to introduce my next bean-venture and newest culinary challenge.

LENTIL SOUP

My sister was a little less excited about food than I was growing up. She wasn't picky so much (that pretty much wasn't an option), but there were definitely more things she did not like to eat than Mike and me. She would also "forget" to eat, which is something that has yet to happen to me, but anyway. The one single thing that Kate liked to eat that I would not touch was lentil soup. I found it completely repulsive and did not understand any one's affection toward it. My mom and grandmother liked it too, the Progresso kind in the blue can. So Gross.

I'm still on my happy-cold-weather kick and excited to be cooking soups and stews again. Always looking to add to my rolodex of food knowledge, I have decided to learn to make awesome lentil soup before I see everybody next month. I will make it as delicious as I can and then I might understand why you all like it. Even if I don't fall in love, I'll make it for all of you. And I can make it without pork, Kate, if that's still your deal.

-5 hours later-

So I made the soup. And it's really good. Much better than I expected it to be. It's not much to look at...
Along with a 16 oz bag of lentils I used 2 oz pancetta, 8oz of chopped ham and a ham bone, as well as onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, half a pale ale for deglazing and 6 cups beef stock. I also added a big handful of chopped spinach at the end.

Check one more thing off my list.