Instructions: Summer days are patently not for slaving over a hot stove. There are now a number of topquality fresh soups on the market using fine fresh ingredients as well as companies producing excellent fresh stocks.

The New Covent Garden Soup Company
widely available
got the ball rolling back in 1988. It now commands a 37.5% market share of an industry worth $47m a year. Latest additions to their range include croutons and soup bars with the eight London branches joined by outlets in Windsor and Leeds.

Club Chef Direct
shuns the run of themill and caters solely for epicureans. To impress your dinnerparty guests they will supply bouillabaisse from Rick Stein or brodetta from the Walnut Tree Inns Franco Taruschio.

Joubere
widely available
sells organic soups and stocks. Its range is due to be extended in September with a veal jus along with five new flavours: Spanish red pepper and aubergine; Provengal chicken with olives; New Orleans chicken gumbo; Sicilian tomato and lentil and Roasted root vegetable.

The Quiet Revolution
possesses impeccable organic credentials freshly filtering any water used in the soupmaking process. It also has a store on Londons Old Street.

Major is the stock base of choice for those restaurants unable to create their own. Fantastic quality and available in beef chicken ash lobster mushroom and vegetable flavours. Not cheap (startingat $15) but makes 37 1/2litres. Available from Good Foods (www. goodfoods.co.uk) and Christophers (01392 455-037; www:clickchs.co.uk) which also sells yeast sugar and glutenfree stocks.

Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon
Sainsburys Asda Tesco and Waitrose
is the ultimate powdered form. Available in regular organic and lowsalt.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.