if I don't have any sherry in the house to add to my pumpkin soup, is there somethimg I can substitute?

mhmmm . . . . looking forward to that!

When the frenzy dies down (whenever that is!) I'll try to remember to post my recipe for Mussel Soup with Aioli and Saffron. There's Sherry in there as well. It's a great soup, so easy, but really impressive. ;)

. . . now I'm on to it - I had googled 'cooking with sherry' before all these great answers appeared, and just now stumbled on those search results, and on a thread on Chowhound talking about how long you can keep a bottle of sherry ( forever, apparently) lots of people mentioned how often they add sherry to things like creamed soup and asian dishes, I feel like I have met a new condiment to add variety to old dishes - thanks Merrill!

Great - thanks for the tip - you're right, no Dr. Pepper around here, but after my disasterous attempt to substitute plum brandy (my own decision, not suggested by anyone here!) I have decided to stock my pantry with some sherry, now I know what exactly to look for!

There is really nothing that tastes exactly the same as Fino Sherry (which is what you want in savory dishes -- comes as Fino, Palo Cortado, Manzanilla, and a few other names). However, my sister doesn't cook with alcohol, and she's found that flat Dr. Pepper is a really good flavor twin for Fino Sherry! Not that you're likely to have that sitting around, either.

. . . and salad with goat cheese - my personal favorite!

I LOVE pumpkin seed oil. A caterer friend once gave me a fantastic bottle of dark toasted (not green) pumpkin seed oil and I drizzled it over squash soups, risotto with butternut squash and sage, roasted root vegetables, salads with shavings of parm cheese....seriously one of the best ingredients ever. Thanks for reminding me - definitely need to replace it, as it's long since devoured.

Well, I must have been channeling Hannah from My Drunk Kitchen when I added the plum brandy, because I could no longer serve the soup to my children, and the alcoholic taste didn't burn off, even if the alcohol did.

So seems I need to add a few items to my pantry. Now that I am always on food52 and all the other blogs I find on food52 maybe I will use the additional pantry items more than once!

Also, if any of you know the green Pumpkin Seed Oil (a speciality of Austria, where I now live) it is excellent drizzled over finished squash soup. (I had planned to serve the soup this way, but needed a tastier soup to start with)

I've subbed Chinese Shao Hsing cooking wine for sherry many times (and vice versa.) You probably don't have a bottle hanging around, but just in case you do. You could also try a little marsala, if it's not too sweet.

I've used apple cider vinegar in the past and it gives it a really nice tart and fall flavor!

I often use dry vermouth or sweet vermouth depending on the recipe. A little rum might be interesting.

could only find some plumb brandy, will let you know how it turns out!

thanks
and perfect timing - dinner is almost ready!

Try Madiera or White Vermouth or White Wine or Sake. In descending order of equivalent flavor!