My husband and I love to stop at Tamarack in West Virginia on our way to visit our daughter in North Carolina. They serve the best tomato basil bisque, we've ever had. Is it possible to get their recipe? Thank you, Marge. Barbara Balbach

Tamarack, near Beckley, Wes Virginia is the pride of Appalachia when it comes to arts and crafts. It is a "must-see" if you are traveling on I64 -I77 thru that part of the country. Their restaurant. operated by the Greenbriar Hotel, is the perfect meal stop for a quick but very tasty meal. Marilu Smith, Food and Beverage Administrative Assistant at Tamarack was pleased that you requested their bisque recipe. Her recipe made 4 gallons of soup--I took the liberty of breaking it down to a manageable size.

Tomato Basil Bisque from Tamarack

9 Roma tomatoes 24oz. can tomatoes, crushed 1/4 lb. butter ( 1 stick) 1/2 lb. onion, diced 1 large carrot, diced 1-2 stalks celery, diced 1 gallon chicken stock salt and pepper to taste flour as, needed 4 oz. can tomato paste 2 Tbsp. roasted garlic 1 oz. basil chiffonade (thinly sliced)

1. Coat the tomatoes in oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 2. Saute celery, onions and carrots in the butter and add salt and pepper. When onions become translucent, add flour to make a light blond roux. ( A light blond roux is made by adding the flour and stirring constantly for 2-4 minutes, just until it starts to color). 3. Add all the tomato products, including paste and bring to a simmer. Add chicken stock and roasted garlic. Bring to a simmer. 4. Puree in a blender and strain through a medium strainer. 5. Add chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper.

NOTE: This soup is sometime on the menu as Florentine tomato bisque. For that variation add finely chopped spinach instead of basil.

Makes 1 gallon.

Looking for a favorite recipe? E-mail Marge Biancke at a2mailbox@comcast.net.