CREAMY ITALIAN CHESTNUT SOUP With a Parmesan Crema

Chestnuts feel like the holidays to me. I mean, who doesn't know the song that begins, 'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.' They're delicious and very versatile. They can be eaten raw, roasted, mashed into potatoes or polenta, made into flour for pastries, or boiled and pureed into the most creamy, velvety soup that you won't be able to stop eating.And the dollop of Parmesan Crema kicks up the flavor to another level. The mascarpone increases the luscious mouthfeel of the soup and the cheese adds another layer of flavor.

WHAT DO I NEED FOR THIS RECIPE?The secret to this soup is to build layers of flavor as you go, and yet it is a surprisingly simple recipe that always impresses anyone who eats it.

• Start with bacon fat and butter. You could use Pancetta for more of an Italian flavor. Simply saute the pancetta until the fat renders out. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta to a paper-towel lined plate and use them as garnish. Then melt the butter into the pancetta fat. But bacon fat works as well and adds a ton of flavor.
• Aromatic veggies - in this case they are onions, carrot, celery and garlic - saute them until they start to caramelize and turn golden (another layer of flavor).
• Chicken stock and white wine - use good quality stock and a wine that you enjoy drinking. I like using chardonnay, but you could use a sweeter variety - like Pinot Grigio to enhance the sweetness of the nuts.
• Herbs for flavor - for this soup we're using bay leaf, thyme, and fresh sage.
• Cream - heavy cream, also called whipping cream, will both thicken the soup and add richness to it. We'll also use a bit more to thin the mascarpone cheese for the Parmesan Crema
• Chestnuts - I cheated and used two jars of chestnuts that were already roasted. If you want to roast your own, you'll need 2 pounds. 
• Nutmeg - if you can find it, buy the whole nutmeg and grate it yourself. The nutmeg enhances the flavor of the chestnuts. A little goes a long way, so using the whole nutmeg and grating as needed means you can keep the nutmeg in your spice cabinet longer without it going stale and losing its flavor.
• Mascarpone cheese - this is a creamy, soft Italian cheese, similar to cream cheese but with more milk fat and no tartness. This will be used in the crema to garnish the soup. You can find mascarpone in a tub in the dairy section of your grocery store. If you can't find it, use cream cheese.
• Parmesan cheese - grate your own and buy the highest quality that you can find/afford. You'll want as much flavor from the cheese as you can get!

This velvety soup could be your new Thanksgiving tradition.