• 4 tbsp butter
• 6 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup Apple Cider
• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2/3 cup sour cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• Chopped fresh chives

In soup pot, sauté squash, leeks, carrots, and celery in butter until slightly softened, about 10 minutes.

Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Boil about 10 minutes to reduce a bit and intensify flavors.  Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until apples are tender, about 45 minutes.

Purée soup.  An immersion blender is best.  if you don’t have one, use a conventional blender but do be careful! Return soup to pan. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as desired.

Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider.

(Soup and cider cream can both be made 1 day ahead.)

To serve:  Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream and op with chives.