When you eat a spoonful of this soup, it will remind you of all the flavors of fall. Pumpkins and apples are harvested at the same time and the two flavors complement each other.
People expect the soup to be sweet, but it's savory, with a tinge of tart apple.
The house smells wonderful when you make a big pot of it on a crisp autumn day. It serves as an excellent main course, and it freezes beautifully. Oddly enough, canned pumpkin is almost always better than fresh - and certainly a lot easier. Add the wine, cider, and brandy and reduce until almost dry. Remove the sachet and discard it.