An extended stretch of warm weather has its benefits, including more patio time and a grace period for finishing those outdoor chores we’ve been putting off. There are downsides, too, and chief among them, at least in the kitchen, is a delay in soup season. It just didn’t seem right to simmer and slurp when it’s sunny and 80 degrees.

But with forecast highs starting to dip, and our Dutch ovens and slow cookers continuing to beckon, we’re finally declaring it soup season. Thanks to new cookbooks, we have fresh recipes to mark our foray into fall.

Bestselling author Julia Turshen’s “What Goes With What” encourages cooks to be creative, providing tips and building blocks to guide them. Her Minestrone-ish recipe is a safe place to start, and the book is a hit for both beginners who are just

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