About ten years ago I was attending a family reunion in which relatives came from across the country to converge on my Uncles land for 2 (rainy) days of catching up and conversation. During a conversation with some of my cousins and my Aunt I asked my cousin for her email address so I could write her and get one of her cookie recipes I had never been able to recreate. She said she didn't remember her email address as she 'hardly ever used it' which led to a short conversation about the internet. She said she didn't really understand the need for the internet. When I told her I used it every single day she looked at me and completely serious, asked; "What for?"

Granted, this was ten years ago when the internet was still in baby stages and many companies still did not have websites (I remember Coke had JUST came out with a java website that had bubbles that actually moved... gasp!) but still... I was using the internet daily to look up information, phone numbers, chat with friends, I had built a family website, uploaded photos, searched for recipes... everything!

Today of course you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't use or appreciate the internet. Finding information is quick and easy, whether you are looking for Mopar performance parts or the fastest recorded speed ever ran by a human. You'll have your answer within seconds.

A perk I love is that I can hear or read of a dish that is new to me and within seconds look it up, find out what it is, and even have a recipe in front of me. It's made the world a smaller place and brought cooking dishes and styles of all countries to each other.

This recipe is for something called Ribollita which I had never heard of until 2008, but had made in my own way and with many different versions just as a vegetable soup. You may know it as Ribollita though. Enjoy.

Ribollita

4 slices bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 large onion, cut into a ½-inch dice
2 stalks celery, cut into a small dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into a ½-inch dice
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into a ½-inch dice
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 bunches Swiss chard, stemmed and roughly chopped
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 slices (about 10 ounces) stale crusty bread, torn into large bite-size pieces
6 teaspoons prepared pesto (optional)

Place a Dutch oven or a soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil and onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato and cook until it has started to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, broth, beans, and 2 cups of water. Place the Swiss chard on top, cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, stir to combine, and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the salt and pepper gently to combine. (At this point, the soup can be chilled for serving the next day.) Divide the bread among serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the bread and finish with a drizzle of olive oil or pesto, if desired.