Soup is a food item that is enjoyed year-round by most of us, but there is a tendency to order and eat more of it when the weather is nasty and cold. In fact, in my childhood home, my mother would not make her signature beef vegetable soup and other soups in warm-weather months. To her, soup was a wintertime meal, as were chili and Cream of Wheat cereal, as I recall. Those taboos no longer exist for me, eating soup or chili whenever the spirit moves. Cream of Wheat, not so much.
At Izzy’s, John Geisen says the buying habits of his patrons somewhat reflect my mother’s predilections on soup and weather, being more popular this time of year than in the summer months. His Izzy locations still sell a lot of soup in the summer too, but the numbers go way up this time of year. And why not, since Izzy’s has some classic soups on its menu.
A bowl of chicken noodle soup with bowtie pasta
One of those soups — the chicken noodle — is a several-time winner in the restaurant category of the Wise Temple’s yearly chicken soup cook-off. Izzy’s also has won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the cook-off, which took place last weekend, February 4, at the temple. Geisen loves competing in the event. “We’re in the pro group — there’s pro and amateur — and we use our own (same as served at Izzy’s) chicken noodle soup for the contest. The cook-off draws probably 500 people, so it’s a great sample, and we’re going up against some really tough competition. That tells you a lot when you win against a strong field, and we’ve done that a lot over the years,” Geisen said.
When Izzy’s started competing in the cook-off, the executive chef at the time decided to add bowtie pasta to the shell pasta that formed the noodle part of the chicken soup. Even before competition day back then, the cooks in the kitchen knew they had a winner with that slight adjustment. Geisen said this: “We’re still doing that (adding bowtie pasta). When we won the contest (the first time) we used the bowtie, and it went over really well. I think the reason is you can get the bowties and the shells and a little of the soup and chicken (in one mouthful), and that makes for a delicious spoonful. People just seem to love the soup, and it’s really good soup, so why not.”
A bowl of tomato bisque
Since there really is a soup season (January’s temps seem to prove that!), what an opportune time to explore Izzy’s soup offerings. The list includes chicken noodle, of course, along with vegetable, beef barley and sweet and sour cabbage. As I write, Izzy’s is changing out the vegetable soup for tomato basil bisque, a seasonal switch the chain does periodically. Tomato basil goes well with Izzy’s grilled cheese, and Geisen says lots of patrons order half a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of soup, especially this time of year.
Another soup that very well may be unique to Izzy’s in this market is a sweet and sour cabbage variety. Cabbage soup enjoys a long and affectionate history among East European Jewish communities. For at least several centuries, cabbage soup varieties have been on Jewish tables in Russia, Poland, the Slavic regions, and Ukraine. There are dozens of recipes for cabbage soup, including vegetarian versions. In Izzy’s case, the soup is flavored with corned beef, giving it a heartier, richer flavor profile than many cabbage soup recipes, according to Geisen. “The corned beef really does perk up the flavor of this soup. We’ve been doing the soup for years, and it’s one of those soups that just warms you all over. Really good!”
All of the soups have a following among patrons, since they all do well in sales. That said, there are two that top the sales charts year to year—chicken noodle and beef barley. Both are classics. Both are hearty, filling, warming soups with great flavor. Since winter has us in its frigid grip, what better time than now to enjoy a steamy-hot bowl of Izzy’s soup. Make mine sweet and sour cabbage, please.
See you at Izzy’s!
