What is your favorite soup?
What is your favorite soup? I think I have a different answer every time I think about it. My default answer is New England Clam Chowder but then I try someone’s amazing shrimp bisque or potato soup and it changes my answer.
When I was a kid, I think it was only chicken noodle soup and tomato soup (with a grilled cheese sandwich). Like most kids I was a picky eater but as I got older my mind opened and I started trying more of everything. Soup, from childhood to adulthood, has always been one of my favorite foods.
- Chowder
- Bisque
- Chili
- Soup
- Stew
I found that when I am either making a soup or ordering a soup, I look for the chowder’s first. I love the bacon, shrimp, potato and corn chowders I make, and I love well-made New England clam chowder. Bacon and potato chowders are also wonderful. I think I could talk all day about the wonderful chowders I love.
Then it happens, I first declare I am a chowder lover. I walk around The Soup Cook Off and I try someone’s Butternut Squash Bisque. Now the Butternut Squash Bisque is probably something I would not put on the top of my list to make or order when out of course, until I tried it. It was amazing, and yes it placed in the top 3 at The Soup Cook Off. Let’s also pay homage to all the wonderful seafood bisque. I love seafood, so why say no to a crab bisque, a shrimp bisque or a lobster bisque? Saying no would be crazy right? I agree, that is why I don’t do it.
Moving on to my third favorite category, would be chili. I have only been to one chili cook off in my life, but it was awesome. My personal preference with chili is to make it spicy. I know, it is not just about the spice but the overall flavor. What makes a great chili is when the base of it is homemade and the ingredients to make up the rest of it are as fresh as can be. Then, of course, add those spices into it. The other thing I like about chili is all the fun names given to them. Usually by the name you can tell if you are getting a spicy chili or not. I have lived in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The style of chili is different, but I love them both. Most of the Northeast chili is tomato based, you know has that bright red color and is usually full of meat. In New Mexico, it is always spelled chile and the base is usually a stock like chicken or vegetable stock. What makes it great is the chile peppers added to it, you can’t go wrong with New Mexico Green Chile in your chili or chile!
The more I type this write up the hungrier for some soup I get, but let’s finish this then I will go cook.
Soup, soup and soup. When it comes to just soup, I always love tomato soup. Just like when I was a kid. I love having a grilled cheese sandwich with my soup. Now, a plain old tomato soup is good (and good for you), but I have discovered a Roasted Pepper Tomato soup and I think I am in love with it. When cooking, the smell alone makes you fall in love with it. Add some fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese and voila, it is perfect. When I want my soup to have some meat in it, I can always enjoy a good homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. The store-bought varieties no longer tempt my taste buds ... give me the homemade version and I am in.
I don’t want you to think that just because stew is last on my list that I dislike it. This is not true. Like all the other soups though, it is better homemade. Without a doubt my favorite and probably most popular type of stew is the beef stew. When done right, everything about it is wonderful. For me, I find stew to be seasonal. I love a good beef stew in the middle of a cold Pennsylvania winter, it is very warming and filling. I am sure I am not alone on that thought.
Now that I told you my favorite soups, what are yours? Is soup seasonal for you or, like me, can you eat it year-round? Leave us a comment and let us know and of course, if you have a great homemade recipe, I will gladly enjoy sharing it. I am so hungry now, I am ending this write-up and going to make me some soup.
Thanks for reading.
