With food processor or by hand, slice celeriac, potatoes, rutabaga, onions, and garlic very thinly. Grease 9 x 13 inch pan with butter. Layer celeriac, potatoes, rutabaga, onions, and garlic in pan. Repeat layers until everything is used up or pan is near full. Sprinkle salt, thyme and pepper over vegetables. Pour cream over vegetables until pan is 2/3 full. Bake covered at 375-400°F for about an hour. Vegetables should be tender and cream should have thickened.

Serves 6

(A real crowd-pleaser – don’t tell them what’s in it until after they taste it!)

In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter and cook the onion until soft. Add the wine, if using, and cook a few minutes longer. Add the broth, potato, celeriac, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are soft. (I have also made this soup in a hurry and just boiled the roots in the broth until tender, which takes less than half the time.)

Puree soup. Add the cream and stir until just blended. Stir in the apple and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top bowls of the soup with the cheddar cheese. (You can also serve the soup as is and offer the apple and grated cheese on the table to top the soup. It looks very pretty on top and I like the slight crunch of the apple.)

Serves 6

Cover the carrot, onion, garlic and potato with water, steam until tender, then purée in its own water.

Separately, steam spinach in 1 cup of water until wilted. Purée.

Make a roux by whisking the flour into the melted butter. Whisk in 2 cups milk and cook over very low heat, stirring, until thickened.

Add the spinach to the roux, along with the herbs and spices. Combine first mixture with second. Adjust seasoning and, if too thick, add milk.

Heat, on very low flame, and stir till smooth, creamy, green, and fragrant.