Soup Diary 110306

The most exotic (relatively speaking) soup I've had recently was some Basmati Lentil at Sweet Tomatoes in Las Vegas. Compared to the other varieties I tried there, it was a tad more spicy but to be honest I'd be hard-pressed to identify the flavors that it included (allspice?). Add it all up though, and I wasn't impressed. It seems like I've been on a real bad streak with my soup choices lately. Well, maybe not bad exactly, as I haven't had anything that I actively disliked, but everything has been so blah. I know that the solution is to start working on becoming a good soup chef myself, but I never seem to have the time to devote to experimentation. I have a little incentive to do so, however, as I sort of half-way promised to come up with something for the next International Food Fair at the University, an annual event that I've supported as a patron but not as a contributor. I'm thinking that I might take a shot at some African Peanut soup, as that continent has been sorely underrepresented among the Fair's offerings over the years (it's mostly dominated by European, South American and Asian dishes). Before I prepare something for public consumption, I feel the need to perfect it using myself as the guinea pig. The next Fair is nearly a year away, so I think that gives me enough time to hone my skills. I'll keep you posted on my progress.