Since my regular soup reviewer won't be reviewing this one, I thought I'd try my hand at soup sampling once again. This month's NCG Soup of the Month is the hearty-sounding Chicken, Vegetable & Pearl Barley.

It has a leek and potato base making this a satisfying soup for the winter. However, the chicken and assorted vegetables (peas and carrots mostly) give it a more exciting flavour. The pearl barley adds something a little fun to the texture of the soup too. All in all, a fine winter warmer, although sadly not one that's vegetarian-friendly. There's always next month's Smokey Plum Tomato & Black Bean though, which promises to be quite a treat for tomato fans.