the dish
Roasted Red Pepper Soup from Coffee Zone “Taisir, come here, sit down in the kitchen. One day you’ll be far away from me, and I want you to know how to make soup.” Coffee Zone owner Taisir Yanis remembers his mother teaching him the family recipe for the roasted red pepper soup. “Roasted red peppers, carrots, celery, chicken, onions and a lot of stuff that I can’t tell you.” Yanis laughed when I asked him what was in it. I sat down for lunch one chilly afternoon and asked what was good that day. Yanis served up a bowl of the soup with a few pieces of pita bread. It was made the day before, so the spices had plenty of time to set in before it was served. With a tomato base, big chunks of chicken and various vegetables, I didn’t feel like I was going to be hungry in an hour. The Coffee Zone soup of the day is based on the day’s weather. So if you find yourself on High Street on a chilly afternoon, stop into Coffee Zone and ask for the roasted red pepper soup. You won’t be disappointed. -- Chris Hollaway, photographer
76 | January/February 2012