Soup’s on! Readers share their favorites

HOT STUFF: French onion soup at the The Bull & Beggar Photo by Nick Moen

If we can trust the weather-divining skills of Nibbles, the Western North Carolina Nature Center's prophetic groundhog (whistle pig is my preferred nomenclature), Asheville still has to slog through a few more weeks of winter chill before fresh, green goodies like spring onions, sugar snap peas and ramps find their way to local tables. To help fend off the cold at winter's bitter end, Xpress is celebrating spoon-friendly, warming nourishment: homage to soups and stews.

When it comes to soup, I guess I am a tomato person. When I feel run down, or sense a cold coming on, the first place I head is the Noodle Shop on Pack Square for a steaming bowl of tomato-and-egg noodle soup. There's something about its rich and slightly sour vegetarian broth — especially with a healthy dash of hot chili oil — that makes me feel like I'm getting a big, healing hug. The soup seems to instantly wake up my immune system.

I also admit to an unabashed fondness for Chef Daniel Wright's tomato soup. Raised on the flat-tasting Campbell's canned variety thinned with water, I always thought I hated tomato soup, so my discovery of Wright's bright, multifaceted recipe during his days at Tomato Jam was a true culinary epiphany. I was close to panic when Tomato Jam closed, thinking I'd lost my supplier, and I breathed an audible sigh of relief when Wright announced he was cooking again at Loretta's.

Lucky for us, Asheville is blissfully awash in wonderful soups, and everyone has a favorite. Read on for what some readers have to say on the topic, including several inventive recipes that may inspire your own kitchen experimentation.

• MAHEC’s white bean and spinach stew

Michael Hopping’s Thai-dyed squash curry

High Tea Café‘s salmon bisque

Judy Kaplan’s borscht

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.