What more could possibly be said about soup after my three blogs in 2010 about the Slow Food Lucchese e Compitese soup tournament (see links below)? Lots, judging by the animated discussions at the last elimination round last Thursday.
The organisers
Soup discussions
First, this isn’t a tournament in which any old liquid served in a bowl can be submitted to the judges (who are us, the public). It’s not the case that one cook makes cream of mushroom and another leek and potato. This is a competition only for ‘zuppa alla frantoiana’. The nearest we get to it in English is ‘minestrone’. But this doesn’t mean that every entry is the same. Quite the reverse. Every entry is startlingly different from the others.
Here come the zuppas
There is general agreement on the four basic ingredients:
- beans, either red beans of Lucca or borlotti
- cavolo nero
- olive oil, new season extra virgin of Lucca (naturally)
- stale, toasted bread
Fagiolo rosso di Lucca (red beans of Lucca)
Cavolo nero waiting eagerly to be made into zuppa
Newly born extra virgin olive oil of Lucca
Ideal bread for zuppa
After that, it’s every cook on her or his own. The variations are numerous and depend on the family recipe — mamma’s or nonna’s or mother-in-law’s.
At the delightful rustic restaurant A’ Palazzo (Brancoli), the diners I could hear from my table seemed to have very refined palettes. One woman identified marjoram, perhaps too much, in one sample. Another definitely too much thyme. A big argument about fennel (seed and fresh). Should there be any? No, said some. Definitely, said others, but if there’s too much it covers the other flavours. A couple of my bugbears are no whole beans and too much bread (this isn’t pappa al pomodoro, after all).
Intensity of aroma is one characteristic to be judged
The winner? Manuela Girelli of the Brancoli. I might have been even prouder than her husband — notice his big grin because it’s his mother’s recipe. Her zuppa tasted very similar to the one I make. Maybe I should enter next year’s tournament?
The winner with her husband and the other contestants
Tonight is the GRAND FINALE!!!! I’m taking Debra Kolka, who writes the Bagni di Lucca and Beyond blog, and she’ll be reporting on it with lots of great photos.
Read more about zuppa: Soup Tournament, Elegy to Zuppa, Soup put to the test, Souprize
Have a blast. I can’t wait to see you soon…wish I could meet Debra, I follow her daily.
Maybe next year you’ll be out here for long enough to do lots of the things you’re wishing for. Hope so!
What fun! Wish I was there to join you. I think you should definitely enter next year!
It would have been fun to have you along at the finals. My favourite zuppa was the winner! Besides some fantastic soups, there was a musical duo singing traditional Tuscan songs that I’d never heard before. There’s always something new to learn and enjoy.
This is fantastic Heather, thank you. So Tuscan. Will you be posting your recipe? If you enter next year – Buona Fortuna
Thanks, Spencer. I think I need to work on it a little more. Then I promise to reveal the recipe.
Thank you for taking me to the final judging, it was great fun. I really love being involved in the local activities, it’s one of the great things about being here for an extended time.
Yes, that’s the advantage of really slow travel. But there’s almost always something going on, so I can even take people who are only here for a few days to something truly local. And as you say, it’s great fun.
Hi, and thanks for this post. I am so glad I found your blog & website through Debra’s blog. My hubby & I travel to Italy (mainly Lucca and Florence) each year, and have fallen in love with the food, friends we have made, and their wonderful way of life. We look forward to more “tastes” through your site!
Susan, I’m delighted to have fellow lovers of Lucca following my blog. I’ll look forward to more comments from you and hope to guide you to some extraordinary flavours out here.
Looking forward to your blog posts. We’ll be there in May, so keep sending new ideas for “things to do and places to eat”! Take care!
Susan
Susan, why not think about booking some time with me? You can’t do most of the things I write about on your own. My mission is to take people to places they can’t access by themselves. I never ever take anyone to the Leaning Tower!
Maybe we can get together
in May. I’ll be in cooking
classes from the 6th-11th,
then have 3 friends that I’ll
be touring in Lucca & Florence
then hubby joins us.
Let me know if you want to enjoy
some vino!!
Susan
I never miss a chance to enjoy good wine. Yesterday I took some clients to a great little family winery in the Garfagnana where we had a tour of the biodynamic vineyards and a tasting of the excellent wines with the owner. Get in touch when you’re here to arrange a time to get together.
Hi Heather,
I would love to be included in the local activities too!!
Great job!
Hugs, Rose
I’ll let you know when something is happening. Right now I’m preparing for the Salumi Course that starts on Thursday.
Great to read about it on your blog and Debra’s, Heather.
We’re big fans of heavy Dutch soups on cold wet days, though I don’t know that anyone takes them as seriously as the Italians do.
I suspect you’re right. An English friend of mine wrote: ‘Can you imagine a soup tournament in England?’ Last night at a wild boar dinner in Casabasciana we had a Garfagnana variant called ‘farinata’, which is essentially zuppa with maize flour added, making a runny polenta thickened minestrone soup. It was surprisingly unleaden.
Hey, Heather. Debra & I are looking at getting together for dinner on May 8th in Lucca. If you are able to, thought it would be fun if ther 3 of us can connect then. Does that work for you?
Susan
Friendly wishes from Tuscany Villas