In Japan, miso soup is a traditional breakfast food–sipped hot, directly from the bowl. As complex in flavor as it is simple to prepare, a single portion of miso soup can be put together in roughly the same amount of time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Try transferring the soup to a wide-neck thermos and taking it to work with you. I can't think of a more soothing and fortifying way to start the day, especially in winter.

If you are too hurried to make even this simple recipe–or you don't have the ingredients on hand–there are some very good brands of instant miso soup powder available. They come in single-serving packets, and all you need to do is add hot water and stir. Consider keeping a stash at work, for midmorning nourishment

• The best type of miso to use for breakfast soup is "shiro" or "mellow white."
  
  
• Although miso soup stores and reheats well, some of the beneficial enzymes in the miso will be destroyed if the soup is boiled. So if you reheat it, do so gently.