in the kitchen with…
Soups On At The Fair
We have the tasty results of our contest.
Story by Carol McGarvey
Featured in Autumn 2025
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Every year Welcome Home Des Moines sponsors a Souper Soup contest at the Iowa State Fair. And every year we say the same thing: These Iowa soup makers are fabulous, creative, and stupendous. On one of the hottest days of the Fair, they delivered their soup creations to the Elwell Family Food Center on the fairgrounds. It then became our joy and our honor to choose winners. This year two men and two women prepared the winning entries!
Soup is one of those dishes that can warm the spirit and soothe the soul. It can be prepared and shared throughout the year. It can be made ahead of time for later eating, and it can be served at times of grief or for a fun gathering.
On the hot, hot day of the soup competition, the winning entry was a refreshing chilled soup. Cold Raspberry Soup with Pound Cake Croutons was delicious! The winning cook was Patty Hunt of Ankeny. •
This Year’s Winners:
- First Place: Cold Raspberry Soup with Pound Cake Croutons by Patty Hunt of Ankeny
- Second Place: Cannot Think of a Good Name Soup by Melvin Ward of Ankeny
- Third Place: Creamy Iowa Corn Chowder by Matt Norris of Johnston
- Honorable Mention: Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Bacon by Jacqueline Riekena of West Des Moines
