Friday, November 14, 2008

The Challenge


I love to cook. But I don’t want to be a chef. In many ways I have the same temperament as chef; passionate about food, creative, short-tempered, and I can throw down F-bombs so effortlessly, I make Gordon Ramsay blush. But the idea of standing for 12 hours next to an inferno, screaming at employees, would bring me one heart beat closer to a heart attack, and leave my legs looking like someone drew squiggly lines with a blue and purple marker –the family curse of lazy venous valves- led me to conclude that this was not a job for me.

Instead, I became a food inspector for the airline companies. Unfortunately, I could not escape those damn varicose veins, but at least I get to tell other people what they are doing wrong, and I still get to eat great food! Up until now, my cooking (and rantings in the kitchen) have been reserved mostly for my husband and I.

My inspiration to start the 30 days of Soup challenge came from reading a book called Julie and Julia, and a bowl of mushroom soup. The author, Julie Powell, prepared all the recipes in Julia Child's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in one year in a tiny apartment in New York City. I was impressed by her crazy and fun challenge, and deep in recess of my mind, a seed had been planted. The idea took root on a business trip in Tokyo. I was enjoying a bowl of deliciously woody mushroom soup covered with a nice crispy puff pastry, and I was thinking how much I love soup, and that I could probably eat a different soup every night, and not be bored. Then, it hit me (soup is quite the catalyst apparently) I would challenge myself to make a different soup every night for 30 days, and write about it!

The fun part was thinking of all the soups I wanted to prepare, of course with my husbands one prerequisite that they must taste good. When I started writing my list, I didn’t really have a theme in mind, but I knew I wasn’t going to prepare just the boring traditional soups like chicken noodle, or if I did, they would have my spin on them. I also want to incorporate some exotic soups from my travels, and maybe even make up some soups as well.

My challenge is going to start Nov 22, 2008 which is perfect timing really, since it is right around turkey time (American Thanksgiving), and that means awesome home made stock. So stay tuned for more chronicles on my soup making.

3 comments:

  1. Krystal - I love it! As a soup lover (I have made 3 in the last 4 days), I highly approve of this idea! Can't wait to hear your recipes. By the way, are you looking for ideas because I make a wicked coconut lime sweet potato soup...:)
    - J
    PS I chose Julie and Julia as this month's book club choice. Book club is this week so I will definitely be mentioning your blog!

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  2. Yeah!!! my first comment.

    Well I have to tell you I also thought of you when I decided to this. I remember when we were roomies, you were the soup queen.

    Your soup recipe sounds really interesting and tasty, you should send it to me, or post it :)

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  3. Being Krystal's husband, I can confirm that her soups are awesome. I am really looking forward to this exercise in tastiness.

    Now. Get writing! (and cooking)

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