Westerly Sun Column | 'Soup-er Bowl Saturday' Will Be a Super Bowl for Foodies

Word on the street is, there’s a rather large sporting event happening this weekend. Millions of people will gather together to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, sacrificing valuable sleep time to do so, and here’s the kicker: a good chunk of them couldn’t care less about football. So, why do we do it? Well, some are there for the commercials. Some are there for the halftime show. And the rest of us? We’re there for the food. If you’re also a part of the latter group, you definitely want to stop by the library the day before the big game, and join us in celebrating Soup-er Bowl Saturday!

Not everybody loves sports, but I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like soup. Maybe they prefer tomato over minestrone, or a chunky soup rather than a creamed concoction, but there’s no denying the appeal of a nice, warm bowl of brothy goodness in the middle of winter. This is one of the reasons why we’re choosing to pregame for the Super Bowl by sharing a bowl (or three), and trying out some new recipes.

Here’s how it works: members of the public can sign up in advance (in-person, or through our website) to bring a pot of soup to share with the group. Soup should be brought in no later than 11:30am on Saturday, February 7th, ideally in a slow cooker or crock pot so it can stay warm. From 12:00-1:00pm, we will all gather in the 3rd floor Terrace Room to taste the various soups, and vote on our favorites! This is a free event open to all ages, and you are not required to bring a soup to attend. That being said, we’d love to have a large variety of dishes to try, so you are encouraged to give it a whirl!

Many of you probably have a go-to soup recipe, whether it’s something you just discovered this year, or one that has been handed down for generations. If you want to try your hand at something new, though, look no further than the 641.813 section on the 2nd floor of the library. This is where we keep the cookbooks like “Bowl” by Lukas Volger and “The Soup Book” by Sophie Grigson, which are dedicated specifically to the art of soup-making. You don’t have to stop there, though: nearly every cookbook these days has a section devoted to soup. If you’re a fan of America’s Test Kitchen, Julia Child, or even Benny Blanco, you’ll find a few soup recipes in any of their cookbooks.

This is the first year we’re celebrating the Soup-er Bowl, and we can’t wait to see (and taste) what you all come up with! Who knows, maybe in 60 years we’ll be celebrating Soup-er Bowl LX, and reminiscing on how it all began.

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian