Much more than a collection of remarkable soups, Mona Talbott's Zuppe is also a wise and gentle tutorial on the "the beauty and delicious rewards of frugality" and how the humblest foods can be the most profoundly satisfying. In addition to 50 recipes, Talbott shares approaches and techniques that can change the way a cook thinks about economy, improvisation, and using all the flavors and nutrients inherent in each ingredient.

A Chez Panisse graduate, Talbott was chosen by Alice Waters to be Executive Chef of the innovative Rome Sustainable Food Project at the American Academy in...