Adam Finally Made a Soup His Wife Likes
Adam
6/9/20263 min read
Every time Soup Club rolls around, I start thinking about what soup I want to make. Usually, that means looking for something interesting, something different, or something that sounds like a fun challenge in the kitchen. This time was different. The deciding factor wasn't what sounded exciting to me, it was what my wife suggested.
The truth is that my last couple of Soup Club soups hadn't exactly been a hit with her. She was supportive, as always, and she tried both soups, but neither one sparked much enthusiasm. They were my choices, and while I enjoyed making them, they weren't soups she was particularly excited to eat. As such, getting her to watch the kids so I could shop, chop, and cook was becoming a harder sell.
This time around as I was brainstorming what I wanted to make, my wife suggested Mushroom Stroganoff Soup, and I didn't need much convincing.
This wasn't just another recipe she found online or a random suggestion. Mushroom Stroganoff Soup is something her dad has made for years. It's one of those family recipes that carries memories with it. She grew up eating it and has always loved it. Every time it comes up in conversation, there's a sense of nostalgia attached to it.
So for this Soup Club, my goal wasn't to impress the group with a creative recipe. It wasn't to experiment with new ingredients or techniques. My goal was simple: make a soup that my wife would actually be excited about.
As the soup came together, it became obvious that this wasn't going to be a light, brothy soup. It was substantial. Thick. The kind of soup that can easily serve as an entire meal.
In fact, when I brought the soup into work this morning, both Kevin and Jeff immediately commented on how thick it was. They weren't wrong. Between the potatoes, pasta, and cream, this soup had some serious body to it. It’s rich, hearty, and incredibly filling.
Jeff and Tam also came through with key assists. Jeff picked up a loaf of sourdough bread and some green onions to serve alongside the soup and Tam brought in some delicious blueberry sourdough. The sourdoughs were perfect for dipping into the creamy broth, and the green onions added a little freshness that balanced the richness of the dish. Those additions helped turn a pot of soup into a complete meal. Thank you Jeff and Tam!
And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The pièce de resistance. The scoring.
Kevin kicked things off as he normally does and gave some very nice compliments before ultimately awarding the soup a perfect 10. I told the group we could just stop there, at this point I had all the validation I required.
Conlan said that he liked the soup and gave it a rock S O L I D 8. Thanks Conlan.
Josephene said that she loved the soup and wouldn’t change a single thing, giving it another 10!
Next came Tam, she said she also loved it and gave it a 9.75.
Following Tam was Nathan, who said that he liked the soup, but commented that there was a bit too much celery seed for his liking. Fair criticism, as I also had the same thought while tasting it. He started off at a 7.5, but as he continued to eat and add different ingredients (including Tam’s sourdough and the World-Famous Habanero Harman’s hot sauce) he ultimately landed at a perfect 10.
At this point, I was flying high. Nothing could bring me down from this feeling of soup nirvana I was experiencing……or so I thought. For there was one more score left to be given, and it was from none other than the Lord of the Ladle himself, Jeff Spurgess.
Jeff leaned back in his chair and prefaced his score with, “Look, man. You know this isn’t my bag” I gulped. Here comes the reality check. He gave the soup a measly 3.5, commenting on the lack of nutritional value the soup provided. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t sting a little, but the silver lining here was that because Jeff didn’t consume 2-3 bowls this week, there was enough left over for Conlan and Nathan to bring back home to their respective partners.
Soup Club Average: 8.54
Overall, this week was a success, and now I get to kick back for several months and enjoy all the soups that other members will be providing. In the end, this Mushroom Stroganoff Soup wasn't my most adventurous Soup Club recipe. It wasn’t my most nutritious either. But it may have been my most successful, because the person I most wanted to enjoy it did. And sometimes that's the best reason to make a meal.
