It's a Good Day for Soup

So, last week Organic Mama and I attended a seminar at a not-so-local university (it's a two hour drive; next time, I'm going to stay over the night before because I really suck at the whole get-up-early-to-drive thing). Anyway, when the seminar broke for lunch, the host gave us the rundown of what kind of offerings were available in the immediate area. He mentioned some local restaurants (and one in particular which I think he's fond of as he mentioned it - and the "pints" - several times), and told us that the dining hall across the way was available to us as seminar participants.

I wasn't crazy about the idea of eating in a dining hall - I mean, come on, cafeteria food?! - but I didn't want to schlep all the way back to my car and risk getting lost in an unfamiliar town, not to mention the fact that I wasn't really in desperate need of pints, so Ms. Mama and I headed over to the dining halls. We paid our $5.50 and were let in and I've gotta tell you, I felt a little like Dorothy when the guy opens the big door.








I was expecting a "grab a tray and walk the line" sort of set up. What I GOT was a staggering array of all-you-can-eat choices that ranged from - I kid you not - pizza to soup and salads to custom made sandwiches and paninis to pasta to pot roast. There were at least five different restaurant-type fronts which offered up the fare: the feeling was very much like a really food court in a larger airport. College kids are eatin' GOOD nowadays, I tell ya!

I headed right for the soup-and-salad place and got myself a bowl of Canadian Cheese soup and a plate of yummy salad with balsamic vinegarette. I was so in love with the soup that I went back and got another helping. While I was up there scooping out another bowl, I accosted a woman in a food services smock and asked her if the soup was homemade. Not only is it homemade, she told me, but if I accosted yon man over there in the big, silly chef's hat, he could probably be convinced to give me the recipe.

It's cold and rainy in my part of the world today. Guess what WE'RE having for dinner tonight!