On October 26, 2017 members of the Victoria Regional Men’s and Newcomers Club (VMNC) were welcomed at The London Chef on Fort Street soup making extravaganza hosted by Soup Sisters. Chef Hugh and several Soup Sisters volunteers were on hand to greet us and expertly guide us through the evening.
Soup Sisters is a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding women and children in crisis by making and providing nutritious, delicious and comforting soup to women in need. Soup Sisters have expanded to more than 20 cities and since launching the program has served more than 1 Million servings of soup.
Soup Sisters in Victoria, have been serving soup since 2011 in support of Victoria Women’s Transition House and numerous city shelters. Transition House works collaboratively to provide shelter, support, counseling and education to women of all ages, so that they can live free from the effects of abuse in intimate relationships. Transition House has provided a safe and welcoming shelter, respectful counseling, support and advocacy to over 160 women each year who are seeking a brighter future for themselves and their children. More than just a safe house, Victoria Women’s Transition House is a place of renewal and support and transitions.
The evening kicked off with a welcoming glass of wine and an opportunity for members to mix and mingle and meet the Soup Sisters volunteers. Once settled, we had the opportunity to watch Chef Hugh prepare the evening’s appetizer of Albacore Tuna Crostini prepared two ways. He started by demonstrating the proper technique to sear the tuna loin and toast the crusty baguette. He then went on to demonstrate how to prepare two absolutely fabulous spreads, one with anchovies and a second with a creamy garlic spread. I know many folks are going to try making this dish at home!
This would set the stage for our next activity … SOUP MAKING. We were each assigned to one of four soup making stations. Recipes were provided with an array of fresh, local ingredients and an assortment of kitchen tools. Many folks brought their own apron! Team members worked alongside our Soup Sister volunteers to wash, peel, slice and dice the colourful vegetables, chop the meats and measure the spices and liquids. There was a buzz in the air as everyone worked away feverishly at preparing our creations, laughing and sharing stories along the way. After about an hour everything settled down, the soups were simmering and there was a sense of warm kitchen camaraderie. We did it!! As the aromas filled the air we finished our task by carefully preparing handwritten ingredients labels for each of the 150 portions of soup that were to be delivered that evening.
To cap off the evening we gathered around the long dining room table and enjoyed a beautifully prepared salad of mixed greens, crusty baguettes and a nourishing bowl of soup. We sampled the Creamy Mushroom soup prepared by one of the teams which according to Peter Lowens was the best one (in part because he had a hand in making it!)
All in all it was a fantastic event. We left satisfied that we learned a few new recipes for soup and appetizers and were able to support the Soup Sisters organization in their mission to serve others.
Special thanks to Glenn Soares for coordinating this VMNC Special Event and making the evening possible for us.
Soup Sisters and Victoria Transition House are not for profit organizations and depend heavily on volunteers. Anyone wishing to further support these two great organizations financially should contact Gary Byrne or the organizations directly.
Scripted by Gary Byrne.
Editors Note: A second Soup Sisters event for VMNC members will be held on March 21, 2018.
