by Deron Johnston
This year’s edition of the TLC Soupfest on Saturday March 2 was a very successful one. Though the event ran from 11 am to until 2 pm, people were still coming in as late as 1 pm. You know you’ve got a winner on your hands when some of the soup providers ran out before 1 pm and people were still coming in. The organizers even had to set up extra chairs and tables in the lobby of the North Grenville Municipal Centre, where the event was being held, in order to accommodate the number of people who came for the amazing variety of soups that were being offered for a mere $10 entry.
Local businesses represented at the event were: Catered Affairs, who served a delicious Curried Sweet Potato soup with a chocolate ganache; Hardstones, who had an exotic Thai-inspired Tom Yum soup; the New Rideau & Castle View Restaurant, who offered attendees a savoury roasted garlic and red pepper soup; and the Brigadoon, who had visitors drooling over their cabbage, potato and cheddar topped with pancetta soup. Some of the other favourites of the crowd seemed to be the Chicken Florentine soup from the Mill Tavern in Manotick, and the Chicken Lasagna soup from Little Sisterz in Spencerville.
There were 355 attendees, 341 adults and 14 paid children. A really great turn-out.
WINNERS
Peoples Choice Award for best soup:
First place: The Mill Tavern
Second place: The Brigadoon
Third place: Au P’tit Castor
Culinary Awards
Best Soup
First place: Fat Les Waterfront Patio: Bacon Dbl Cheeseburger
Second place: The Mill Tavern: Chicken Florentine soup
Third place: The Brigadoon: Potato and cheese topped with pancetta
Most Creative soup
First place: The Mill Tavern
Second place: Fat Les Waterfront Patio
Third place: The Brigadoon
Best Presentation
First place: The New Rideau and Castleview
Second place: Cup of Joes
Third place: The Brigadoon