Virtual Soup: Crafting a Year-Long Vision

Happy New Year, Exeter Soup Lovers!

The holiday hustle and bustle is now behind us!

What’s on the Menu?

As we simmer our way into 2025, The Soup Aisle is bubbling with excitement. We’re stirring the pot behind the scenes and can’t help but share updates with our favorite community.

It’s true, we’re about to launch as a virtual soup store startup. We’re expecting to find a kitchen before Spring happens! (While also planning for The Soup Aisle to become a walkable store right in downtown. Say what??) Then we’re going to be cleaning up and preparing that new kitchen space to cook in it!

Community at Our Core

Exeter, you’re at the heart of our adventure. We’ve been busy crafting a community model designed to reward our loyal patrons, and we think we’ve prepared something unique. On top of that, we’re creating menus that will keep you excited year round, including those summer days. We’ve got some cool ideas we can’t wait to ladle out.

While we’re keeping the big surprises under lid, expect a rotating variety of soups that dance with the seasons. From light spring offerings all the way to the heartier winter warmers.

Your enthusiasm fuels our passion. Remember, good things come to those who wait, and great soup comes to those who simmer. We can’t wait to serve you soon!

Stay warm and souper,
The Soup Aisle Team

Trivia:

The word “soup” comes from the Latin word “suppa,” meaning bread soaked in broth. So technically, soup didn’t exist before the invention of bread, because there was no bread to dunk it in. Let that soak in. 😂🥣

The Soup Aisle’s Holiday Highlights & 2024 Wrap-up

As we bid farewell to 2024 and welcome 2025, The Soup Aisle team has been savoring the holiday season with family and friends. With cookie baking days and crafting our first Bûche de Noël, we tried to embrace the spirit of the season. (Who knows? We might just add Yule Logs to our holiday menu next year!)

A Community Dream Takes Shape

Amidst the festivities, we’ve been steadily laying the groundwork for our upcoming launch. Life’s beautiful moments have caused a few delays, but they’ve only strengthened our resolve. Our dream of bringing a specialty soup market to downtown Exeter is closer than ever, thanks to the unwavering support of our community.

The Soup Aisle is more than just a soup store. It’s a community-focused food experience tailored for Exeter’s busy families and professionals. We say it often because we mean it. We’re here to fill a significant gap and rekindle the warmth that only a perfect soup can give. And we can barely wait!

Simmering with Gratitude

Our angel investors’ support has been invaluable. They believe in our mission to:

Curate unique, locally-sourced soup varieties
Develop a sustainable, eco-friendly business model
Introduce innovative food options to downtown Exeter

Their faith allows us to focus on crafting exceptional soups that resonate with our community. We are currently exploring top-notch soup equipment to bring our creations to life!

Looking Ahead

We’re in the final stages of securing permits before settling into our kitchen. This meticulous process ensures that we will deliver the quality and safety our community deserves. While it feels like the longest stage, we’re grateful for everyone’s patience and enthusiasm.

To our supporters and the Exeter community—your belief in The Soup Aisle fuels our passion. We’re deeply grateful for your encouragement as we embark on this journey together.

As we’ve been busy making the holidays merry and bright, we look forward to sharing more soup news in the new year. Our next update will come after we’ve rung in 2025, so until then, we wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Get your spoons ready—2025 is going to be souper!

P.S. The holiday soup we made this year was Fish Chowder 😋

Behind the Scenes: Countdown to Soup Season

Launching the Soup Aisle

As we’re preparing for our launch in 2025, we wanted to give you a peek behind the curtain. Our soup startup has been a whirlwind of excitement and challenges.

A Taste of Local Support

One of the most heartening aspects of this journey has been the incredible support we’ve received from our local community. We had the pleasure of speaking with the Exeter Economic Development Director, who was genuinely thrilled about our business venture. His enthusiasm for The Soup Aisle has been both motivating and reassuring. His support extends beyond his words of encouragement. He’s actively helping us navigate the local business landscape, including helping us find a suitable kitchen to operate from while we start our virtual business. This local backing is invaluable for a new business, and we’re incredibly grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received.

Simmering Plans and Preparations

While we await the green light from the Department of Health, we are far from idle. Our team is busy with soup preparations:

Merch: Who says soup can’t be stylish? Who doesn’t want a souped-up soup cup? Erin created a design that will allow our Soup Aisle enthusiasts to eat their soup in style. 😁🍲

Packaging: Although we’re keeping it simple, we’re finalizing our packaging. We want our soups to not only taste great but look great too.

Recipe Book and Pre-sale Menu: We’re putting the finishing touches on our recipe book, which will showcase our signature soups. We’re also crafting a pre-sale menu that will give you a preview of what’s to come.

As we work tirelessly behind the scenes, our excitement continues to build for the upcoming Soup Season launch in 2025. We’re committed to bringing you the most flavorful and nourishing soups to warm your hearts during the chilly winter months.

The Recipe for Success

Starting a soup business isn’t just about perfecting recipes (although that’s a delicious part of it!). It’s about building relationships, understanding local regulations, and creating a brand that resonates with our community. We’ve learned that patience is a virtue when dealing with permit applications. One of the most arduous aspects of this journey has been the amount of planning that goes into each decision.

A Broth of Challenges and Triumphs

Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. We’ve faced our fair share of challenges. For starters, Erin got bronchitis and pneumonia when we were originally trying to launch. We were delayed due to “entirely too much coughing,” but she is better now. Each hurdle has taught us lessons about perseverance and flexibility. And we’re more excited now than ever to bring The Soup Aisle to life. We can’t wait to share our passion for soup with all of you.

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach our launch date.

Creating New Holiday Soup Traditions

We are preparing for our first holiday season as business owners. With ladles in hand, we are ready to bring comfort to our community. Erin even designed our first merch!

Soup Through the Ages

The holiday season has always been synonymous with tradition. Cherished recipes passed down through generations. But here we are, Erin and Patrick, without a traditional holiday soup to our names. Sometimes, we’ll make Tomato and grilled cheese, or we’ll make Butternut Squash Apple (which made it to the menu). Last year we made a red + green curry. We’re not bound by expectations, but we’re eager to create something memorable. And we’re halfway wondering which ‘new tradition’ will stick.

This got us thinking: What makes a holiday dish truly special? Is it the ingredients, the timing, or the memories it creates? We believe it’s a combination of all three, with a dash of innovation thrown in for good measure. Also, conjuring the image of what ingredients could consist of a holiday soup is somewhat humorous to me. There have been some epic holiday fails in my opinion. For example; fruitcakes, jello salads, and turducken. Those are a few foods that people decided to pass down through tradition. For reasons I can only assume are genuine.

Historically, holiday soups have played significant roles in cultures around the world. French Oyster Stew, in France, is a holiday staple. In Poland, barszcz (beet soup), or borscht, is a Christmas Eve staple. (Love it – Top 15 favorite soups.) And Shurabet el Eid is an Arab “Holiday Soup.” It has tiny meatballs and rice in a flavorful broth and the flavor is compared to Chicken Noodle Soup.

Crafting Our Own Soup Story

At The Soup Aisle, we’re not just making soup; we’re crafting experiences. We strive to create soups that capture the essence of Exeter’s winters – like fish chowder! Perhaps our holiday tradition will be keeping our customers guessing.

We’re also thinking beyond just what goes into the pot. The act of sharing soup can be as important as the soup itself. We’re exploring ideas like “Soup it Forward.” Where customers would be able to buy an extra bowl for someone in need for half the cost. One of the many reasons we’re passionate about our company is our organizing to help the community.

We Don’t Have Generations of Recipes Behind Us…

But we have passion, creativity, and a community that’s eager to try something new.

This holiday season, consider starting a new tradition. Maybe it’ll be a weekly soup night! Remember that traditions don’t have to be old to be meaningful.

We invite you to join us! Follow us on Instagram! Become a member! Let’s stir up some new holiday magic this year together!

The Unexpected Rise of The Soup Aisle

The Accidental Soup-preneurs

Who would have thought that a simple bowl of soup would lead to a full-fledged business venture? Certainly not us, Erin and Patrick, the unlikely duo behind The Soup Aisle. As we sit here, planning our menu, we can’t help but chuckle about it a little bit.

We weren’t always soup aficionados. For most of our lives, soup was just something you ate when you had a cold. But somewhere between adulting and realizing that vegetables are good for you, we stumbled onto a Dutch Oven full of possibilities.

A Soup Epiphany

It hit us like a ladle to the face – soup isn’t just food, it’s an experience. An experience that we suddenly realized was worth taking a closer look at. We found ourselves discussing broth consistency over breakfast.

One day, we thought: “Does the world need more soup?” The answer, we decided after approximately 2.5 seconds of deliberation, was a resounding yes. And thus, The Soup Aisle was born – a virtual soup store for the discerning soup, and soup accoutrements, enthusiast.

The Existential Soup Crisis

Sometimes, we find ourselves staring at the ceiling, pondering: “Do we really love soup this much?” It’s a valid concern. But then we remember – we’re soup people now. And we’re okay with that. The world needs more soup. And we’ve realized something profound: It’s not just a business opportunity; it’s our chance to ladle out a little happiness. We never thought we’d be here, getting excited over a perfectly seasoned broth and high fiving over our new 40 qt stock pot. But here we are, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The Soup Aisle isn’t just a business about soup; it’s our passion project and our culinary canvas.

Here’s to unexpected journeys. Here’s to finding passion in the most unlikely places. Here’s to embracing the ridiculous. Because life’s too short for boring food.

Join us on this souper adventure. Who knows? You might just find yourself becoming a soup convert too. And if not, well, “No soup for you!”

The Art of Crafting the Perfect Vegetarian Chili

Hearty Vegetarian Chili

This recipe shows the power of plant-based cooking. It proves that meatless dishes can be just as satisfying and delicious as their traditional counterparts.

The Symphony of Ingredients

Our chili begins with a colorful array of vegetables and plant-based protein:

Gardein plant-based grounds
Yellow onions
Carrots
Garlic
Red pepper
Tomatoes
Zucchini

The Cooking Process: A Labor of Love

Building the Base: We start by heating vegetable oil in a large pot. Slowly sweat the onions, carrots, and garlic. This gradual cooking process releases their natural sweetness and creates a flavorful base for our chili.
Spice Infusion: We add oregano, chili powder, and cumin directly to the pot. This allows the spices to bloom in the oil, intensifying their flavors and aromas.
Liquid Gold: Strained tomatoes and vegetable stock are added next. They create a rich, flavorful broth. This broth will simmer and reduce to perfection.
Veggie Medley: We then add the red pepper, tomatoes, and zucchini, and a pinch of salt.

The Art of Slow Cooking

Patience is key in developing the deep, complex flavors of our chili. We bring the mixture to a slow simmer very gradually, allowing it to cook undisturbed for about 45 minutes. This slow cooking process melds the flavors together beautifully.

After the first simmer, we skim any impurities from the surface, ensuring a clean, pure flavor. The chili then simmers for another 30 minutes, with one more skimming session to perfect the consistency.

Perfecting the Texture

If needed, we use a special technique to achieve the ideal thickness:

We strain the liquid from the solids.
The vegetable mixture is set aside to cool.
The liquid is then reduced separately to intensify flavors and thicken.
Once cooled, we recombine the reduced liquid with the vegetable mixture.

This method allows us to control the consistency precisely, resulting in a chili that’s neither too thin nor too thick – just perfect.

The vegetables reach tender perfection as the flavors meld into a harmonious blend. Our vegetarian chili is ready to serve. Each bowl is a testament to the care and attention we put into our recipes at The Soup Aisle.

We invite you to try this delicious, plant-based chili that’s not just a meal, but an experience. It’s comfort food reimagined – hearty, flavorful, and completely meat-free. Perfect for those chilly winter evenings or any time you’re craving a bowl of pure comfort.

Stay tuned for more exciting recipes and updates from The Soup Aisle. We’re always cooking up something special for our valued customers!