Since it's St. Valentine's day eve, perhaps it's time for a true confession: I've recently fallen madly in love. It was on a quintessential autumn day in New York last year (strike up the Mel Torme, please) and we were dining with beloved friends just in from Afghanistan and London.  Needless to say, when you've been stationed in Kabul, what you're really longing for, is some good, authentic NYC deli, and Russ & Daughters, that venerable lower East Side bastion of all things kosher,  didn't disappoint.

Yes, the lox and whitefish were superb, the bagels nonpareil, but I was completely overcome by the Russian Cabbage soup.  Okay, it wasn't much to look at admittedly, But there just was something about it.  I couldn't get enough of it.  I thought that perhaps it was the most delicious thing I'd ever eaten.  It was lovely to see my friends and all, but, my goodness, this soup!  Crazy, I know, but I fell,  and I fell hard.