From the menu of ... Buckhead Diner

A: Chef Charlie Schwab from the Buckhead Diner sent us this recipe. He created it last year while working on seasonal additions for the menu. He experimented and came up with this version, which he then tried on the restaurant's ultimate taste tester, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group chief executive officer Pano Karatassos. It was a hit with Karatassos, and it's been a guest favorite ever since.

The recipe produces a beautifully colored soup with a creamy texture and no cream. Fresno peppers are hot, significantly hotter than jalapenos. We adjusted the number of peppers down from the original. Try the soup after it has simmered 30 minutes, and add another pepper if it’s not hot enough for your taste. The recipe makes a gracious plenty. Whatever you don’t eat right away will freeze perfectly.

At the restaurant, the soup is topped with crème fraiche garnished with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you'd like to make at home? Tell us and we'll try to get it. We'll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put "From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.

Buckhead Diner’s Butternut Squash Soup

Hands on: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Makes: 20 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chopped onions (about 3 medium)

2 cups diced carrots (about 5 medium)

4 cloves garlic

3 large butternut squash, peeled, cut in half, seeded, diced (about 4 1/2 pounds yielding 12 cups chopped)

1 red Fresno pepper, stem and seeds removed, chopped

10 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2 tablespoons salt

5 sprigs thyme

1 sprig rosemary

1 stick cinnamon

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

White pepper, honey and Tabasco

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add onions, carrots and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add squash and pepper and cook until vegetables just begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and salt, and adjust heat so soup is simmering.

Make a bouquet garni by wrapping thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, bay leaf and peppercorns in a small square of cheesecloth. Drop into soup. Simmer 1 hour. Remove bouquet garni.

In the jar of a blender, or using an immersion blender, puree the soup, then strain through a sieve. Season to taste with white pepper, honey and Tabasco.

Per serving: 144 calories (percent of calories from fat, 22), 12 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 1,114 milligrams sodium.