The Soup Aisle Commitment: Why We Show Up

At The Soup Aisle, we’re not a massive operation with corporate infrastructure – we are literally two people trying to feed our community well.

Just a small business running on genuine care, determination, and honesty.

We’re Here to Help You

First and foremost, if you’re ever confused about how our soup system works, please reach out to us. Seriously. Whether you’re new to our subscription model, unsure about customizations, have questions about ingredients, or just want to chat about soup—we want to hear from you. Our system might not be complicated, but our offer is unique.

We are a meal startup company that uses local ingredients and focuses on community first, and we’re committed to making sure you feel confident and supported in how you’re getting your soup! We’ve built The Soup Aisle with real people in mind. That means we think about the person with dietary restrictions who needs to know exactly what’s in every batch.

We think about people on tight budgets who need affordable, nourishing food.

We think about the customer with mobility challenges who needs flexible delivery options.

We think about caretakers managing someone else’s dietary needs alongside their own.

We think about folks who don’t want to think about choices and just want something simple, healthy, and fresh. (And if it just so happens to be a gourmet soup then bonus!! 🤣)

If any of these describe you—or if something else describes your situation—we want to know, and we want to help. We have an ever-evolving menu and we take requests! 😋

Behind the Scenes

Real talk: running The Soup Aisle means experiencing the beautiful chaos of a small business trying to do right by people. Yesterday, I found myself with no cell service in Kensington while messages were flooding in from customers about an order system glitch I couldn’t even see, much less respond to. There I am: Driving with a cooler full of orders and no way to text. The anxiety of that situation—knowing people were waiting for answers and I literally couldn’t reach them—that’s the stuff that keeps us going. Because the moment I had service again, fixing it became the priority. That’s just what you do when you actually care about the people you’re serving.

Fixing these issues are on the top of our list.

Customers aren’t looking for perfection from a two-person operation. They’re looking for honesty, effort, and the assurance that we care enough to make it right.

We’ve gotten better at our systems, and we’re still working on it. We’ve tightened our processes, and still we try harder. We’ve learned what to look for before problems happen, but mostly, we’ve learned that our customers appreciate knowing the person packing their soup is the same person who drives an extra 45 miles to fix a mistake. That matters.

Good service isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about genuinely listening to the response. It’s about remembering that the person ordering soup might be ordering it because they’re managing a health condition, recovering from something, caring for someone else, or simply trying to eat better, or think about more important things then stirring a pot for an hour. (That’s our job!!!) Our job is to make your life easier.

We Don’t Do This Alone

We want to give a special shout-out to Erin’s dad, who helps us with deliveries. Having family support this business isn’t just out of convenience. (Patrick needed help.)

The person that delivers your soup from us will always understand the value of what we do.

Let’s Connect

If you’re part of The Soup Aisle community, thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your meals, for being patient with our growing pains, for reaching out when something isn’t right, and for understanding that behind every bowl of soup is a real person committed to your satisfaction. You matter to us more than you know.

The Soup Aisle isn’t just ladling out soup — we’re trying to serve our community ridiculously good food at an honest price.

Opinions Are Like Spoons – Everyone’s Got ‘Em

Featured

The Great Soup Divide: Stirring The Pot

The air crisps up and suddenly everyone’s got an opinion about soup. It’s that time again—soup season—and while most people can agree on one thing (it’s the best season), the great soup debates are officially bubbling over.

Ask someone you know, “is cereal a soup?“

Half the room tilts their heads, the other half pretends not to be personally offended. One person mutters something about “milk-based soup” 🤣 – another refuses to make eye contact and starts humming. Suddenly, your quiet dinner has turned into a philosophy seminar. Coworkers turn against each other. Welcome to the great soup divide—where ladles are drawn and wars are waged. (Well, not really but you never know!)

The Cereal Question That Started It All

Here’s where things get interesting — because structurally speaking cereal checks every box. Solid ingredients suspended in liquid, eaten from a bowl with a spoon. I thought that was soup 101.

So why does a cold bowl of milk and grains suddenly become controversial?

Rice and milk soups exist in Puerto Rico. Many cream of barley soups originated from Persia. Italian rice and milk soup dating back to the 1800’s. All grain plus milk, all genuinely recognized as soup across their respective culinary traditions. If those count, cereal’s structurally identical makeup becomes harder to dismiss on merit alone. (Plus, a lot of work went into making those delicious fortified grains!)

The counterargument usually comes down to this: cooking matters. Most soups require heat, and the kind of flavor-building that happens when ingredients meld together. Cereal skips that ceremony entirely—you just pour and eat. So maybe that’s the real divide?

Some people draw the line at intent. Others at temperature. A few stubborn folks still insist soup must be hot, warm at minimum, which—let’s be honest—is just gatekeeping. We accept gazpacho and vichyssoise as cold soups without question – and gazpacho doesn’t take any heat whatsoever to make.

Simmer Down or Soup Up

At The Soup Aisle, we believe people’s soup-pinions say a lot about them. Some of us are thick‑and‑hearty loyalists—the kind who believe a soup should stand on its own, no sides required. Others lean toward minimalist broths or puréed soups. Then there are the free spirits who treat every bowl like a chance to experiment, tossing in a dash of things until it feels just right. That’s not our style.

I guess that’s what makes soup beautiful: there’s no right way to love it. Soup is the great equalizer. Some people love it for making Pantry Raid Soup. Or call it what you will – wherever you’re from, people know those soups by unique names.

Fridge Forage Soup

Freezer Soup

Leftover Soup

Clean-Slate Soup

Kitchen Sink Soup 🤮

Surprise Soup 🤢

Scraps Soup 😬

A nice, warm bowl of soup softens sharp opinions and reminds us that good food is meant to be shared. (Preferably with someone who doesn’t judge you too much!)

Where Do You Land?

The cereal debate is just the tip of the bowl. The real question is about how we define the things we love – and whether those definitions even matter. Is a soup defined by what’s in it, or how it’s made? Or why you made it?

(Luckily, this is a soup blog and we’re not about to philosophize whether a hotdog is a sandwich.)

Whether you’re debating the philosophical nature of cereal, or just need something warm to carry you through the cold, we have so many comforting choices for you.

Ready for the Unexpected? Behind The Scenes at The Soup Aisle

We’re thrilled to share that something fresh and exciting is coming soon to The Soup Aisle. While we’re still in the process of finalizing all the details, we want to give our valued community a sneak peek at what lies ahead.

One of the first changes you’ll notice is a shift in our weekly schedule. If you’ve enjoyed Soup Wednesday, get ready for a subtle but meaningful adjustment—Soup Monday is on its way. Moving to Monday will make it easier for many of you to plan your week, especially since it’s a quieter day for most, allowing you to start your week with something comforting and delicious.

And this change is just the beginning. This fall, we’re preparing a casual dinner and immersive cooking experience unlike anything we’ve offered before. Imagine joining a small group in a beautiful, professional kitchen nestled inside an iconic, renovated mill in Amesbury—a space full of character and charm that’s the perfect backdrop for learning and creativity.

During these sessions, we’ll dive into kitchen essentials with guided instruction, exploring seasonal recipes crafted by the owners of The Soup Aisle. Each participant will leave equipped not only with new skills but also generous takeaways like recipe cards and expert tips that make recreating the magic at home easy. Questions and curiosity will be warmly welcomed, creating an enriching environment built around food and connection.

We’re keeping many aspects of our Fall Series a delightful mystery for now, but we promise it will be an experience filled with warmth, flavor, and discovery. It’s designed to bring you closer to the heart of what makes The Soup Aisle special and to inspire your own culinary adventures.

Stay tuned for all the details soon! In the meantime, get ready to embrace a fresh rhythm to your week and a new way to explore the flavors and stories behind the soups you love.

Here’s to new experiences, cozy kitchens, and delicious moments ahead.

Savoring the Season: Behind the Scenes at The Soup Aisle

Every week at The Soup Aisle, our menu is a celebration of New England’s summer bounty, thoughtfully crafted for your table. As July unfolds, we’re spotlighting flavors that pair sunshine and comfort, convenience and creativity—just check out this week’s menu: Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Lemon Blueberry Muffins, Chilled Cucumber with Sesame Tofu, and Lemony Fish & Orzo soup.

Stress-Free Order, Community Connection

Weekly delivery to Exeter, Kensington, Brentwood, and Stratham means you can enjoy artisan soups and sides without the fuss. Or, take advantage of free pickup in Amesbury at 14 Cedar Street—our way to keep it neighborly and accessible.

Easy online ordering: Select your menu items and reserve a spot for delivery or pickup—no phone tag, no guesswork.
Menu transparency: We post our weekly lineup and ingredient labels in advance so you can plan your meals and savor the anticipation.
Real flexibility: Whether you’re grabbing favorites for the week or assembling a picnic, our rotating menu ensures there’s always something new and something familiar.

Food That Travels Well—And Tastes Even Better

At The Soup Aisle, we know that great food should fit your lifestyle—whether you’re craving a quick dinner fix or packing for a picnic at Swasey Parkway. All our offerings are designed to travel well and taste just as good under a summer sky as they do at your kitchen table.

Seasonality, Local Sources, and Specials

Our menu is built on what’s freshest right now. When cucumbers are at their peak, you’ll spot them in gazpachos and salads. Blueberries in muffins and cakes, local fish in our soups. It’s a weekly celebration of Seacoast farms and food artisans.

Thanks for Making Us Part of Your Summer Table

Every order from The Soup Aisle supports a local business grounded in craft and community. Your feedback, favorite moments, and recipe requests inspire us and keep our menu lively. Feel free to reach out with suggestions or just to say hello—our kitchen is always open to conversation!

Ready to savor this week’s offerings or curious about what’s coming next? Order now!

Artisan Soups. Picnic Faves. Baked Goods.

The Great Ingredient Mystery: Why Every Great Recipe Has a Story

The Thrill of the Secret Ingredient

You’re out to dinner and the salad is so unexpectedly good you find yourself interrogating every bite. What is that in the dressing? Is it citrus, or something more mysterious? You consider flagging down the chef, but you know the answer will be evasive at best. There’s a universal thrill in chasing down the “secret ingredient.” It’s the culinary equivalent of a treasure hunt—equal parts curiosity, nostalgia, and the delight of discovery.

We’ve had plenty of these moments in our own kitchen. For example, the best traditional Italian dressing I ever tasted had sugar and mustard—two things I never would have guessed. My spaghetti sauce always gets a splash of balsamic vinegar and a quarter teaspoon of cocoa powder. The secret to my tomato soup? Extra carrot. Sure, there’s the usual garlic, onion, butter, basil, and the best tomatoes I can find, but it’s that subtle sweetness from the carrot that makes people pause and ask, “What did you do to this?”

These discoveries keep cooking endlessly fascinating. Sometimes they come from a happy accident, sometimes from a tip whispered by a friend, and sometimes from pure, stubborn experimentation. Every cook has their own stash of tricks—maybe a pinch of cinnamon in chili, or a splash of pickle juice in potato salad. These are the details that make a dish memorable, the kind of thing you remember long after the meal is over.

Recipes That Travel by Word of Mouth

The most unforgettable recipes rarely come from a book. They’re shared at potlucks, scribbled on the back of envelopes, or texted in a flurry before a dinner party. They’re tweaked, misremembered, and improved with every retelling. They spark debates at family gatherings and become legends in their own right.

Your Table, Your Story

That’s why we light up when someone brings us a family recipe, a legendary casserole, or a “you’ll never guess what’s in this” story. Like my mom’s Napa Valley Chilled Cucumber soup. She loved it so much she grabbed the recipe – and we can’t wait to share it with you all.

Planning a cookout for a crowd? Need a dish that’s pure comfort, or a showstopper for your next gathering? Bring us your favorite recipes, your secret ingredients, your kitchen victories and glorious flops. We love bringing these stories to life for you and your guests.

Food is more than a list of ingredients—it’s a conversation, a connection, and sometimes, a delicious little mystery. The best meals are the ones that bring us together and keep us guessing.

Share Your Secret Ingredient

So, what’s your secret? What have you discovered that makes your food unforgettable? Share it with us, and let’s see what happens when your story meets our kitchen. The next legendary dish could start with your recipe—and a little bit of mystery.

Tag a friend who’s always on the hunt for the secret ingredient or send us your own kitchen mystery!

Beat the Heat: Serving Excellence When the Temperature Soars

As late June brings record warmth to Exeter, we see each rising degree as an opportunity to deliver delicious food and thoughtful service—no matter the weather.

The Summer Heat Challenge

The relentless heat of late June brings unique operational challenges. Temperature control becomes more critical than ever as we watch our refrigeration systems work harder. But rest assured: we are vigilant as ever when it comes to food safety.

Green Goddess Gazpacho: A Summer Revelation

This delightful trend has become the star of our summer lineup. This stunning cucumber and avocado based soup creates a gorgeous show stopper with a wonderfully vibrant color — and we used amazing produce from Chickadee Hill Farm in Rowley, MA.

Made with fresh ingredients (obviously), lemon, and just a hint of jalapeño for that perfect summer kick. This soup embodies everything we believe about seasonal cooking: celebrating the moment while honoring the craft. We’ve been refining our variations throughout the month to capture that elusive balance between refreshing and satisfying. We see why this one is so popular.

Elevating Customer Service in Every Season

Our customer service is about creating moments of connection. Our recent website upgrade represents more than just technological advancement; it’s our commitment to making your experience with us as smooth as possible. We noticed that a lot of our customers were struggling with our platform because we had started out so small! Our new checkout process has reduced order times significantly, and our enhanced order reminder system ensures you never miss a pickup or delivery window. These improvements might seem small, but they reflect our belief that excellence lives in the details.

Digital ordering systems have become essential in today’s food service landscape, and streamlined payment options don’t just improve efficiency—they free up your time to focus on what matters most.

Community Connection and the Exeter Community Fridge

Our donations to the Exeter Community Fridge has been an extremely rewarding aspect of our community involvement. Community fridges have emerged as powerful tools for addressing food insecurity, operating on the simple principle of “Take what you need, give what you can.” Over the past months, we’ve been able to donate substantial amounts of food, contributing to feeding our neighbors with dignity and accessibility.

However, as we navigate this period of growth and transition, we’re temporarily pausing our Exeter Community Fridge donations. This isn’t a step back from our community commitment—it’s a strategic pause that allows us to upgrade our systems and processes so we can return with even greater capacity to serve our neighbors. Community fridges rely on consistent, quality donations. We will continue to donate during this time because we want to ensure we can deliver on that reliability.

Expanding Our Delivery Services

The food delivery landscape is continuously evolving. This is reflected in an increased demand for our expanded delivery service. We’ve optimized our delivery logistics to handle the summer heat challenges, ensuring that our soups arrive at the proper temperature and maintain their quality throughout transport. This is about extending our kitchen’s standards to your table, wherever that might be.

Seasonal Favorites and Beloved Returns

While innovation drives us forward, we understand the comfort of familiar favorites. This month, we’ve been repeating some of our most beloved soup offerings alongside new creations like our Green Goddess Gazpacho. Summer soup service requires a different kind of precision than winter offerings. Our seasonal ingredients must be at peak freshness, and our service timing must account for the customer’s comfort.

Looking Forward Through the Heat

As we move through these scorching June days, we’re reminded that exceptional service means rising to meet whatever challenges present themselves. The heat may be rising, but it has only strengthened our resolve to serve our community.

The summer heat is relentless, and so is our dedication to excellence. In every soup we prove that great service knows no season. The heat may be on, but The Soup Aisle continues to serve with a cool confidence.

A Thoughtful Approach at The Soup Aisle

Mother’s Day just passed, and this week at The Soup Aisle – Exeter, NH, we’re celebrating with two soups that honor the spirit of comfort and tradition: Chicken & Dumplings and Borscht. Purchase here if you’d like! These are the kinds of soups that reminded us of home, family, and the simple joys of gathering around the table.

A Balanced Menu

Each week, our menu is guided by a principle we call “Hearty Comfort/Healthy Classic.” It’s our way of offering something for everyone: a robust, comforting soup alongside a vibrant, plant-based option. Whether you’re craving something nostalgic or seeking out a lighter, wholesome bowl, you’ll always find a balance at The Soup Aisle. Right now we offer two per week, but we’re gearing up for soup season (e.g. the fall).

Chicken & Dumplings!

This Week’s Hearty Comfort, Chicken & Dumplings, is a true classic. We make ours with a rich, savory base of tender chicken, carrots, and celery, finished with soft, pillowy dumplings that soak up every bit of flavor. Dumplings are a universal comfort food-found in kitchens around the world, always bringing people together.

Borscht!

For our Healthy Classic, we’re serving Borscht-a soup as beautiful as it is nourishing. Packed with beets, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, fresh dill, and cannellini beans, it’s a celebration of color and flavor. We keep it hearty and satisfying, and offer a dairy-free option for those who need it. It’s a soup that’s perfectly suited to today’s diverse tastes.

Always Thoughtful, Always Local

At The Soup Aisle, we believe in doing things the right way – sourcing thoughtfully, cooking with care, and staying connected to our local roots. We’re committed to authenticity and quality without losing sight of what makes soup special: its ability to bring people together. Classics we’ve recently made like Sopa de Zaragoza are made with local poducts from the Brookvale Mercantile and that includes grass-fed beef. Our menu reflects the seasons, our ingredients are chosen with intention, and our recipes are inspired by rich culinary flavors that make soup the beloved artform that it is.

A Little Soup Aisle Fun Fact

Did you know that dumplings have been around for thousands of years? Legend has it they were first created by a Chinese medicine practitioner who stuffed herbs into dough to help people stay warm during harsh winters. Every bowl of Chicken & Dumplings is a little taste of that dumpling wisdom-delivered straight to your spoon.

Thank you for letting us fill your bowls (and your hearts) each week. Here’s to comfort, creativity, and the humble dumpling – may it always rise to the occasion! 😁

-The Soup Aisle Team

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!