Soups from National Soup Month

Image Credit: Keshia Pace (http://www.coroflot.com/)

Not only is it the last day of January but today marks the last day of National Soup Month - a fun way to celebrate this beloved and comforting dish. Hopefully you had a chance to try a new recipe or at least enjoy a bowl or two this month. I loved celebrating by teaching a class at the Brooklyn Cookery,  holding a Soup Cook-Off and contributing soup recipes to Food 2 and Mom in the City. I also enjoyed making the Creamless Asparagus and Leek Soup and Italian Wedding Soup for the first time as well as sharing Deja Vu Cook's top picks for the month. Even though this exciting month has come to an end, you can always find soup recipes on this site and hopefully some of these recipes will inspire you to continue the celebration all year.

Interesting Recipes from National Soup Month:

Texas Penicillin - Soup is said to cure all and heal the soul and Ginnie Bivona, a chef from Texas, also said that about her Texas Penicillin - except for a cure of a broken heart. A variation of chicken noodle soup, this recipe includes a Southwestern twist with chili powder, green onions, corn, red pepper and cilantro. The soup is an also an award-winning recipe and won the Best of Show and First Prize at an Ohio State University Chili Cook-off!

Garlicky Tortellini Soup -  As a staple in most soups, garlic has a way of making any soup better. This soup, created by Mignardise, uses the delicious flavoring in question, as well as spinach, tomatoes and tortellini - creating a soup simple that also uses ingredients you may have lying around the house.

White Lentil Soup with (or without) Spicy Sausage - I'm a big fan of lentil soups, so I was really excited to see this variation on the classic using white lentils ("black lentils with the outer skins split and removed.") Not something you will find in your standard grocery store, Soup Chick says that you can find white lentils in a gourmet or Indian market or if you can't locate them red lentils also work. This interesting recipe also uses Turkish urfa biber pepper, kale, some hickory-smoked barbecue sauce and the option to add turkey sausage. If I could locate white lentils, I know what recipe I am going to try.

Pear/Coconut Soup - Another amazing thing about soup is that it is packed with tons nutritional properties to help the digestive system, skin or the lungs and kidneys such as with this light and summery soup. Created by Five Flavors Kitchen, this pear and coconut soup uses simple ingredients such as pears, coconut water, cinnamon, lemons, salt, and honey that is sure to inspire thoughts of chilled and lighter soups for the warmer months ahead.

Brazilian Shrimp Soup - Featured on FoodandWine.com, this delicious soup uses coconut milk, tomatoes, shrimp, and rice that the writer says "will keep you coming back for more." With its unique combination of flavors and easy preparation, I think I know what soup I am going to try next week.

What soups did you try this month?


Seriously Soupy Serena

Happy National Soup Month

Guest Blogger: Kathleen of Deja Vu Cook 

I was making a list of the top ten favorite recipes from the readers on my website and at the same time I saw that it was National Soup Month (January).  During the first year of trying to document family, friends and my recipes I was fortunate to meet @SeriouslySoupy (Twitter).  She has wonderful ideas, recipes, classes and events in New York all about soup.  She invited me to guest post on her site Seriously Soupy a few times and we share recipes.  This list was great for me to review of my own soups that I make and people would like.  The biggest surprise was the interest in chilled soups.  Living in Florida it is normal for chilled soups, but three out of ten was not only great but an inspiration to create more chilled soups for 2011.  Enjoy!


Corn Chowder with Bacon

Soupe a l’Oignon Gratinee

Split Pea and Ham Soup (and a lot of Carrots) 

Potage Crecy (French Carrot Soup)

Saint Lioba Beer and Mushroom Soup
 
Tanzanian Coconut Bean Soup

Chilled Pea and Mint Soup

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Chilled Zucchini Soup

Chilled Cucumber and Dill Soup

To read more recipes by Kathleen, be sure to check out her blog, "Deja Vu" Cook. 

Soup Links-A weekly rundown of soup in the news

Another soup-tastic week (yes, I said that) and boy do I have lots planned for this month-International feats, turning meals into soups, and trying my hand at cold soup, to name a few exciting things that will be appearing on Seriously Soupy. Until then check out what is going on in soup across the web, including National Soup Month (who knew?), soup in a cart, and another variation of a detox soup.

• National Soup Month. Apparently January is National Soup Month. I did not receive a memo about this, but then again it was created by Swanson, so I guess I can see why. Although I am a fan of eating  soup 365 days a year, I appreciate Swanson's effort to encourage people to eat more soup, including their suggestion to celebrate with a soup party. Um...sounds like something I discussed in the "How to Throw a Soup Party Series," (check out: part one and part two).The article also discusses all the wonders of soup such as how broth-based soups are less caloric, how soup be frozen for multiple uses, and how even kids love soup! There is also a basic vegetable soup with garlic drizzle and split pea recipe to kick off National Soup Month. Read more about it at http://blogs.babble.com/nibblers/2010/01/06/beautiful-soup-january-is-national-soup-month/

• Detox Soup. A popular concept after the New Year, chezus.com also created their own variation of a cleansing and detoxifying soup. Very different from my own, the chezus.com recipe is loaded with veggies such as leeks, kale, carrots, rutabaga, and beans to fill you up without feeling deprived. Chezus also notes that the soup can be savored for days by simply adding more veggies or broth when the soup lessens-a pretty simple concept, but one that is definitely useful, especially when you don't want that pot of soup to end! I also love how they included a listing of the ingredients in the soup and their health benefits. Check it out at http://www.chezus.com/vegetarian/detox-soup/

• Soup on the Street. Now when you need soup you need to look no further than a cart on Park Avenue (that is of course if you live in the NYC area). Recently, the Herb International Soup Factory located in Queens has been selling nine varieties of their soups in a food cart. Ranging from lentil, pumpkin with veggies, beef shank, and rice with chicken, the soup is available in 12oz, 16oz, and 32oz containers, which can also be sampled before purchased. Read more about the cart at http://midtownlunch.com/2010/01/07/queens-based-herb-international-soup-factory-opens-cart-on-park-ave/ or pick up a soup at the NW corner of 53rd & Park Avenue.