"Excellent! Mine took twice the amount of time to cook (2 hrs.), but it's probably because I let it simmer really low. I added some canadian bacon to the shredded ham hock meat just before serving and also garnished with some home-made herb croutons. Nothing like a big bowl of hot soup to warm the soul (and tummy) on a cold winter night!"

"Excellent....but agree with others about some minor modifications. I used a 4lb. piece of chuck, substituted a combination of shiraz/beef broth for the water. I also think it needs 2 bunches of carrots, not just 1. Added 1lb. of mushrooms and some baby red potatoes (use 1-2 per person) an hour before done.Because it doesn't specify the quantity of""

"Perfection! Don't eliminate any of the specified ingredients-the flavor profile of them together is amazing...especially when using fresh, farm picked corn. ""

"Artichokes are my second favorite vegetable and I love soup so I was excited to try this. I made it as written and really enjoyed the results but it still lacked something. I'll definitely make this again and am considering using jarred marinated artichokes thinking it might provide the 'kick' I'm seeking. Maybe I'll add some lemon pepper in addition to fresh-ground pepper if I use frozen artichokes.

"I plan to make this on christmas. Assuming I use steaks that are the thickness Ina suggests, can someone please give me an approximate idea of how long I should plan on them being in the oven to obtain medium rare? Thanks!

"For the person who is inquiring about the mugs...I am fairly confident/positive that they are made my Vietri (sold at many major dept. stores). I haven't made this coffee yet, but Trader Joe's (and no, I am not employed by them!) sells a winter spiced coffee that you would probably like if this appeals to you. My apologies for rating this, but it was the only way I could respond to the mug question.