by Andrea Powell, HPCCR Communications Manager
One of the perks of living down South (I think those of us who do live here would all agree) is the mild winters. Now, there are always some exceptions (hello, 2010!) but for the most part, we don’t suffer temps in the teens and we don’t have snow and ice on the ground for months starting in October. But there is one day each year when I wish for the bitter cold. Just one day when walking outside numbs my nose, not to mention my fingers and toes, and makes me long for warmth. That day is Soup on Sunday.
There is nothing better than eating hot soup on a cold day. Oh wait, there is. Eating over 30 soups on a cold day! That’s just what you’ll get this weekend at Soup on Sunday when the high is only predicted to be 50 degrees (hurray!). Here are just a few delights that you have to look forward to: Wood Roasted Tomato, Sausage, and Prosciutto; Sweet Potato, Roasted Red Pepper, and Coconut Bisque; Chicken Soup with Whole Grain Mustard and Gruyère; Cauliflower with Berkshire Pork Belly; and Smoked Brisket and Black Bean Chili. And that’s just a handful. The entire list has something for every palate, from the adventurous to the traditional.
So the soups are the headliners, but the opening and closing acts of drinks, breads, and desserts are just as noteworthy. Great Harvest Bread Company will be returning with their rich, wholesome breads. Bojangles sweet tea, Caribou, and Coca Cola products will keep you hopping from soup station to soup station. And even though you’ll think you haven’t saved room for something sweet, you’ll change your mind when you see what the kitchens (and students) of Johnson & Wales and CPCC Culinary Arts Department have cooked up. Last year the chocolate creations were so beautiful, I couldn’t decide whether to eat them or frame them. (I ate them. Truly the better choice!)
And before you even get to decide which soup to try first, all you Soup Lovers’ Special ticket holders have to make up your mind which gorgeous bowl(s) to take home. All those pieces that were made at Charlotte Country Day School will be there, plus a ton more crafted by friends of HPCCR, Providence Day School students, and some other very gifted artists.
Oh, and while you’re there, don’t forget to buy tickets for the “souper raffle”. There are always some great spa packages or coffee bundles (in case you didn’t get enough caffeine!) to bid on and you just might win! You don’t even have to be present if they snag your ticket out of the hat. The drawings happen at 1:30pm, by the way.
So make haste! Go online and buy your ticket (after today you won’t be able to). And try not to overdress on Sunday. You want to be nice and chilly by the time you arrive at the door. I promise, it makes the soup taste that much better!
Soup on Sunday will take place from 11am until 2pm at the CPCC Culinary Arts Center at 425 North Kings Drive (in uptown Charlotte). If you don’t buy your tickets online, they are also available at the door on Sunday morning – $30 for general admission, $40 for the Soup Lovers Special (it includes a hand-made pottery bowl), and $10 for kids ages 7 to 12. See you Sunday!










