1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap

January 27, 2009 6:00-8:00pm

Opening
On a frigid Tuesday night in January (27th) I hosted the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap. As guests entered my home, they dropped donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest into a basket. We collected 14 cans!
The Meal
Serving a meal before the swap is not necessary, but it is fun! I served Chicken and Vegetable Tortellini Soup with a Roasted Garlic bread loaf for dinner. After introductions, we began our meal together. What fun to chat about how this idea began and what soups we love while enjoying a great dinner.
The Telling of the Soup
After our meal we went around the table and explained the soup we brought to share. Some of the soups shared were Chicken Taco Soup, Pumpkin Soup, African Peanut Soup, White Chicken Chili, Carrot Chowder, Curried Squash Soup, Chicken and Brown Rice Soup, Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup, Steak Soup and Chicken and Vegetable Chowder.
My daughter made numbers for a drawing and put them in a soup bowl. As my guests passed around the bowl, I brought the quarts from the deep freeze (garage) to the kitchen island and put them all on display. Even though I pulled out my number last, I got number 3! I was pretty stoked.
The Choosing of the Soups
How great to get pictures of the soups on the island with the cooks gathered around. We chose soups in order of the number we picked from the bowl then repeated it until the soups were all chosen.
The Twist to the Swap
Participants brought anywhere from 4-6 quarts of frozen soup. When they had chosen the number of quarts they had brought, they dropped out of the choosing. Everyone took home the same number of quarts that they brought. This adaptation worked out very well. All were satisfied and we had a great time dining, chatting, and swapping together!
The Future
Watch for posts on recipes and new ideas. Some of you Spokanites will host a swap this year. Spokane doesn't do anything small.....the run that turned into Bloomsday, the 3 on 3 basketball tournament that turned into Hoopfest! The 1st Soup Swap will turn into many; let's hear about them!
Yes, this will be repeated for the 2nd Annual Spokane Soup Swap in 2010! Will you be a host/hostess?