Super Bowl is here and what a game it will be. In case football isn’t your thing, allow us to break down the basics for you. The Super Bowl will be taking place in Las Vegas on Sunday February 11th. The two teams vying for the top spot are The Kansas City Chiefs and The San Francisco 49ers. The Halftime headliner is none other than R&B artist Usher. Ok, so now that we’ve got the deets out of the way, the thing we absolutely love about the Super Bowl is the chance to host our friends, set the table with some incredible dishes, and throw our version of a Super Bowl party. But instead of the usual caprese sliders or chicken wings, we’re thinking about stirring things up with a one of a kind SOUP-er Bowl “Soup” Competition! Considering the cooler weather we’ve been having here in LA, why not spice things up with a culinary challenge that even Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce would raise a ladle to. So allow us to break down the steps to hosting a super “SOUP-er” Bowl party that’s as fabulous as it is flavorful.
How to Host a Super “SOUP-er” Bowl Party
Here’s what to do. Begin by sharing a few guidelines to your guests about the competition. Let your soup competitors know the judging criteria: taste, originality, presentation, and difficulty. This way, they have enough time to get creative. Encourage your participants to think outside of the box (or bowl) because this is not yo mama’s soup pot luck. Soups, stews, and bisque’s can all be competitors if the flavor is a total touchdown.
Pro-Tip: Tell your guests that they could score extra points by bringing a sidekick to their soup like an accompanying toast or veggie. Here is a great example, if a guest is planning on bringing a Mexican style soup that needs some color, throw in some avocado chunks. Avocados From Mexico are the best, and turns out they are the number one selling avocado brand in the U.S., and guacamole is the number one dip served during the big game. Who knew!
Ready, Set, Soup!
Think truffle-infused mushroom bisque served in a portobello bowl or spicy Thai coconut curry soup in an abalone shell (bet you’ve never seen that one!). The key is to impress both the taste buds and the eyes. Presentation can count for half the score too. Make sure to mention to your guests to bring out their best dutch ovens and pots to carry their coup in. Sometimes the prettier the cover the more enticing the soup. Don’t have a pretty pot to hold in the recipe? No problem. We’ve put together some of our favorites below.
Pro-Tip: A pot is not the only way to present your soup. Try ladling the soup in mini bowls or dishes on top of a charcuterie board with mini spoons and the soups accompanying sides surrounding them.
SOUP-er Scoring System
Now to pick a winner. Create scorecards for each guest to cast their votes and declare a soup champion by the end of the night. Then, reward your SOUP-er Bowl MVP with a prize to match the occasion, like a gorgeous set of oven mitts, a set of soup bowls in the winning team colors, or something really memorable like this golden ladle.
Mark your calendars, set your slow cookers, and prepare for a soup showdown. Now all that’s missing are some really great wine pairings and we have some here.
