to think that Covent Garden soups are a tasteless bag o'shite?

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

I don't like them. I have tried.

I keep trying thinking that they may have pulled their finger out and made nice soups, however I am always disappointed.

Latest travesty - beetroot and horseradish soup, which had a maximum of 1/1000th of a gram of horseradish, no seasoning and an overwhelmingly sweet beetroot taste. Crap.

And before that a mexican type soup - NO bloody chilli in it whatsoever.

The tomato and basil - no bloody basil.

Chicken - I think that chicken had a miserable life as it tasted of fuck all.

Why can't they make nice soups? The Tesco finest soups are nice. Those other ones in a tub whose names escape me (they also do a skinny range) are lovely.

I agree that the bacon and lentil one is the only acceptable one. For a start, it's not all watery. I made the mistake of buying a lentil and tomato one (I think it was also low fat) once. Watery and tasteless.

Duchy Originals soups are the PITS! Really awful, I bet Farmfoods own brand soup is nicer than that crap.

I used to buy the tomato one but I stopped as I never forgave them after the whole "win a farm" marketing fiasco.

I love the chicken one with french bread and loads of butter.

Cheap and easy to make your own.

Waitrose do this fab lemony, curry-y thai-ish one, which I LOVE. Covent Garden - meh

I have two of the books; DH was given them by a hopeful, but ultimately unlucky sales rep. All the recipes I've tried have been, er, in need of a little work, shall we say? I agree with the PP that declared them style over substance

Had a really nice broccoli and Stilton one tonight.

First time in years we had one got dinner. Dd has been ill and DM had bought them for her recouperation.

Bode ill when DH was heard muttering from kitchen as he heated up ... 'Think I'm going to curry mine... Does anyone else want it curried?'

We opted for not curried and while it was edible I did eat the entire bowl wondering if it would be a suitable weaning product as it was so bland .... So very bland ... I figured they'd strained out the flavour somehow as I've never tasted a butternut squash that devoid of even an essence of something.

And DH said even curried he couldn't get it to 'taste of anything' so he didn't finish his.

Luckily DD had baked some muffins or he'd have starved tonight!

In answer to the poster upthread yes you can purée soup with a hand blender. There will inevitably be a lump of something that escapes but you can make that into a fun game of hunt the lump.

We stopped eating CGS about 10 years ago now when I decided that they gave flavour by bunging in raw garlic and the tomatoes in Tuscan bean hadn't been cooked long enough.

The only soup we buy now it's Baxters Cullen Skink (smoked haddock and potato). Hard to find and pricy but delicious and perfect when you want a meal quickly.

Ah, Baxters!

Now that's soup.

How disappointing, I used to like the Covent Garden soups. Haven't bought one for years and don't think I'll bother now if they've gone downhill.
I have one of their recipe books though and could live off their Russian Winter Vegetable soup!

I bought a soup maker. It is just like a big kettle. You put the ingredients in and press 'purée' or 'chunky' ,and about 30 mins later pour it out!

Tamer-have one of them, it's called a sauce pan and a 3 quid stick blender

I've never had ready made soup that I have liked, they taste vile.

YY to Cullen Skink, I add frozen sweet corn and frozen spinach to it as it's heating, quick and filling.

I had that before but I love my soup maker- it is literally press the button.( soup is still easy without one and much better, and cheaper, than bought)

think tinned is often nicer. Baxters are all nice.

Cov Gard need to find the salt pot and start using it.

I think I remember reading a while ago that they got into trouble for salt levels- chicken soup had more salt than seawater or something - so maybe they have dropped the salt now?
Either way they are shite

The New York pulled pork and been soup was the nicest I have ever had, then I had an email to say that they were stopping production for a while and the soups vanished from store.
Gutted isn't the word.

It's a zombie, but I agree. They're rank.

Ooh crafty. Apparently the New York soup co. WAS Tesco! An own brand hidden under another name. Either way it's scrapped and I no longer get my pulled pork fix.

Ooh crafty. Apparently the New York soup co. WAS Tesco! An own brand hidden under another name. Either way it's scrapped and I no longer get my pulled pork fix.