The Iron Foodie Challenge

I love a challenge and now thanks to the first Iron Foodie Challenge sponsored by The Foodie Blog Roll and Marx Foods, a specialty retailer, I have a chance to get creative and really put my ladle to use. This exciting contest starts by answering a few preliminary questions where 25 participants will then go on to the next round and receive 8 ingredients from Marx Foods. Judging by their delicious website, this could involve cooking with Sargol Iranian Saffron Threads, lemon honey, or what I secretly have been eying: the truffles! Contestants then have to create a unique signature dish using three of these ingredients to be considered for the grand prize: a $200 store credit to Marx Foods.com. I hope I make it to the next round, I have a lot of exciting soup recipes on the brain and new ingredients to sample!

1. Why do you want to compete in this challenge?

As I mentioned, I love a challenge. In fact, Seriously Soupy was created because I wanted to challenge myself to create new soup recipes and learn more about soups by creating a new recipe every week. After a year and 72 soups later, I try to stand true to my original intentions. I try to use new ingredients and create new soup recipes by learning about international soups as well as feature guest writers; but as with everything in life there is always something new to learn. I really want to do this challenge to push myself even further as I learn more about new ingredients and get out of my comfort zone (once again) to create an inventive and original soup using products from Marx Foods that i likely have never heard of or used before.

2. Limitations of time/space notwithstanding, whose kitchen would you like to spend the day in & why? Julia Child, Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, James Beard, Marie-Antoine Careme, or The Swedish Chef?

I would love to spend time in Julia Child's kitchen. Although our styles of cooking are different, I love her spirit and passion for cooking. Her confidence is also striking to me as she successfully made the transition to start a new career much later in life. Although I am not the same age as she was when she became a cook, I feel that I am embarking on a new cooking journey and would love to talk to her about this as we make her classic dish, beef bourguignon, together.

3. What morsel are you most likely to swipe from family and friends’ plates when they aren’t looking?

Chocolate chips. I eat pretty healthy, but if I see a stray chip or a cookie lying around, I'm going to snatch it. Same rings true for ice cream. If I see some ice cream leftover, it will be really hard for me to resist slurping it up.

4. Sum your childhood up in one meal.

Although this meal might not actually be constituted as a proper dinner these days, the four-square meals know as the Swanson TV dinner was a staple in my childhood.

5. The one mainstream food you can’t stand?

Maybe this is obvious, but I can't stand canned soup.It is incredibly salty and many of them have so many preservatives. After starting Soupy, I learned how easy it is to make your own soup, which is not only healthier but is also cheaper and in my humble opinion way more satisfying.