Cold Soup and Hot Reviews

Every Soup Club day is a big day. You wake up feeling like it’s your birthday… except with the pressure of feeding a room full of expert soup connoisseurs and today was my day to bring the offering.

Now, this soup technically began in July of 2016, back when a buddy and I walked into a little bar/restaurant in Ludington and said, “Two Jack and Cokes and two bowls of gazpacho.” Cold soup?! WTF is cold soup? Let me tell you, that bowl of chilled veggies was soup-erb…sooo good! And this wasn’t just any soup place—this place is a local legendary place and no one has ever got their hands on a recipe…rumor has it all of their recipes (including their gazpacho) is sealed in a vault next to the Coke formula and Colonel Sanders’ 11 herbs and spices.

What would it take to get such a valued recipe? Simple, 10 lbs of moose meat (don’t ask), a year of persistence and smooth talking, and one highly suspicious friendship later—I got the recipe. It came with a warning: “Don’t f*** me over with this recipe. You’re the first person to ever get one. Good luck.” A real heartwarming moment.

I’ve made it a few times over the years—always so delicious. But for Soup Club, I had to tweak it a bit: To protect the sacred formula, because I’m not trying to serve a cup of vegetable oil to a group whose motto includes “Eat Healthy”, and because I like adding leafy greens to stuff (kale, spinach, etc.). So, what the Club got today wasn’t the OG, but in my opinion...it was better. Healthy, yet still packing that flavor punch.

Ok, let’s get to the tasting:

Andy: Well…Andy didn’t show. Apparently, something more important than Soup Club came up. Sourdough mother passed? SCOBY sick? I get it! He’ll get a bowl next week…gazpacho is better with time and his bowl will change his life! Don't worry Justy - you'll get a sample - hopefully not too spicy!

Kevin: Cold soup and Kevin may not go together too well. He’s self-admittedly not a fan – so I knew he’d be a challenge and figured anything above a 5 would be a moral victory. Wait, what…Kevin drops an 8.5?! I should’ve filmed it, but it would have violated our tech policy and Kevin is our CIO. He even took some home, which around here is the ultimate endorsement.

Tam: Before Kevin’s 8.5 breath was done, Tam hopped in with 9.5! Crap, this could be heading to the Soup Club Hall of Fame.

Conlan: Well…he was present and always a hoot to have in the room. I had two hearty bowls topped with avocado, chickpeas, and the crispiest jalapeños. Meanwhile, Conlan gave the soup the same look my kids used to give broccoli at age five. Spoon touched the surface…a little mixing…I think he ate a bite…maybe two after he added some fancy salt. But no rating…Just…silence. So, I’m calling Conlan “inconclusive.”

I’m gonna walk away today happy because: I really liked the soup – which is great since I now have 20+ containers of this stuff headed to my freezer and I’ll be eating gazpacho through Labor Day! It’s healthy AF…veggies on veggies with bonus leafy greens. Kevin and Tam took some home…their numbers weren’t just talk. Most importantly, Barry, our resident raised-bed garden dude and former Soup Club member (long story), contributed three ingredients straight from his garden…his first contribution totally enhanced the taste, and it was great to see Barry dip his toe into the Soup Club water!

Sadly, there is no meeting next week. Our next gathering is set for July 22, when rumor has it Kevin’s planning a French Onion soup. Please remember, Cold soup is soup too.