Creativity the key ingredient in soup cook-off
Soup chefs got to show off their creative sides Jan. 24 during Temple Beth Tikvah's 2010 Great Chicken Soup Cook-off.
The Chicken Soup Cook-off was a wonderful way for us to both celebrate together as a synagogue community as well as to reach out to our neighbors to share our joy and festive event," Rabbi Deborah Schloss said.
This was my first cook-off with Temple Beth Tikvah, as I was hired as their rabbi about half a year ago, and I was so impressed with everyone's creativity and spirit," she said. We all know how much sadness there is in our world, so what a special way to come together intergenerationally and share a beautiful time. The best part about being in community is sharing in a wide range of experiences together."
Ten teams entered this year in categories including traditional matzo ball, spicy chicken tortilla, vegetable, noodle, vegetarian and creative, said event coordinator Joyce Johnson, a Pasadena resident.
The matzo ball category saw The Patriots team win second place with "Patriot Missile Balls."
The first-place winner was Inept Chef, a father and daughter team.
Jack Sasiene and Rachel Sasiene, known during the cook-off as Austin Powers and Foxy Cleopatra, created "The Soup that Shagged Me." Their soup received the trophy for Best Jewish Penicillin Soup of 2010.
We had a great time seeing all those people come to taste our Matzo Ball soup," said Jack, who lives in League City. It was a wonderful community event.
Our family always tries to be a little crazy to make things interesting. The soup cook-off has grown from a small event to the well-attended one it is now for the past few years. Joyce Johnson deserves a lot of credit for keeping it going and being so intent on getting everyone involved."
In the spicy chicken tortilla category, Team Wonderland won second place for Tea Time Tortilla Soup." The team comprised three cooks, ages 10 to 15.
Starchicks from Friendswood won first place with "Oy Ole."
"Yankee Doodle Noodle" by the Patriots team won first place in the noodle category.
"Blazing Ladles Mushroom Barley Soup" by the Young Wallackstein's team won second place in the vegetarian category.
First place went to the second soup cooked by team Starchicks, "Pumpkin Spice Blessings."
Only two vegetable soups submitted, but both were hits with the tasters," Johnson said.
The Potato Head Team won second place with its "Baked Potato Soup."
First place was taken by the Beandazzellers with the "Bean-dazzzelling Vegetable Soup."
The Creative Category was just that, two coconut and one fish soup," Johnson added. All were favorites with the tasters."
The Shockers, a new team, won third place for its "Coconut Pumpkin Soup."
The Super Sea Chefs won second place with their "Chicken of the Sea Soup," a fish chowder.
The first place winner in the creative category, as well as the Spirit Trophy Award, was the Coconut Crew with the "Coco Loco Soup."
Coconut Crew also won a people's choice trophy.
I think it was a great cook-off year," said Coconut Crew member David J. Salinsky, a Clear Lake-area attorney. The soups were wonderful, but the booth designs and costumes were terrific. Of course it made it even better that the Coconut Crew swept the top awards.
My wife told me to try the soup recipe first to see if it tasted good before making it for the competition. I told her...recipe...what recipe. We don't need a recipe."
The event organizer, the Temple Beth Tikvah Sisterhood, will donate proceeds and canned goods from the cook-off to Interfaith Caring Ministries, which operates a food pantry at 151 Park Ave. in League City. Proceeds have not been totaled yet.
