Throw a Soup Party! A Reader's Soup Cook-Off Reader Party

The spoon trophy for the winning cheftestant.

So, we've thrown a lot of soup recipes and ideas at you this week. What are you going to do with them all? Here's one idea: A soup party and cook-off! Reader Barb sent us this cute party that she threw last winter with some friends. And it wasn't just a party — it was a friendly contest, too! Read on for all the details and more photos.

From Barb:
We hosted the Big Mouth, Big Bowl Challenge: Soup Edition on a chilly Saturday afternoon. Each cheftestant brought a soup of their choice, their own ladle, bread to accompany their soup, and a recipe card printed off for each person to take home.

We started with a cheese plate filled with goodies from a local gourmet cheese shop (including a few cheeses from America's Dairyland, Wisconsin) and moved on to the soup. Each course was served separately, and the chef had a chance to make a few comments about her soup.

After all four soups, we each cast a vote for the winning soup. The lucky winner (the chef of the shrimp bisque) took home a personalized and framed spoon.

Special details included:
• Handmade cloth napkins
• Handmade placemats personalized with the name of each soup
• Trophy made from a custom spoon, from Wooden Hive
• Floral centerpieces made from Campbell's soup cans
• Recipe cards by Honeybee Design

It was such a hit that we hope to make it an annual event; each year we well have a cook-off of some sort of recipe that can be served in a bowl.

More about the soup cook-off as well as this year's challenge!
• Big Mouth Big Bowl, Soup Edition at Barb's blog
• Big Mouth, Big Bowl: Pasta Edition

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Thanks so much for sharing, Barb!

(Images: Barb via email)

Comments (9)

I love this idea. We used to do a chili souper bowl cook off on Super bowl Sunday but it died out somehow. I like the idea of having the soup be the main attraction and leaving football for its own special day.

I think you meant a local gourmet cheese shop, not soup. LOL! Soup on the brain!!!

A group of friends in my old city started having a SoupFest annually years ago. I actually won the first annual fest... we had a commemorative t-shirt made up and everything. Since most of us have moved onto other places, we have started SoupFest in our respective cities. I'm finally taking the plunge this year, for the love of soup -- I have 3 weeks to perfect my recipes! Ours are far less formal affairs. Since my husband and I collect pint glasses, we have plenty to use instead of bowls... we make cup coozies out of old socks (just cut off the foot part). We simply set up the soups in the kitchen to keep them warm, and everyone can serve him or herself. Simple placards will be used to mark the soups. People who don't like being "fancy in the kitchen" bring cheese and crackers and the like. It's an awesomefuntime. :D

@shannonoconnell ha thanks! I fixed that.

Wow, I just did this last weekend! Minus the contest because a lot of my local friends don't cook much (too many grad students). A chilly evening on our screen porch with a crackling fire, bowls of hot soup and bread with snacks and wine and beer and hot cider. Friends brought snacks and four fantastic homemade desserts. It was a hit!

This is such a fun idea! This would be fun with any theme, really. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for featuring the party, Faith, and thanks, everyone, for the kind comments.

I have to give credit to my friend, too. She is a fabulous co-hostess!!

Yay Barb (and Angie!). So fun!!

such a awesome idea - i so wish that i was close enough to join your cooking challenge events! perhaps we should skype them :)