It's Monopoly Season Again

So once again, this is not really a culinary topic, but I can't help myself.  I stopped at my local McDonalds this morning for breakfast and received Monopoly game pieces on my drink cup.  Now I have never won anything of consequence, in this or any other game of chance, although I am very happy with the food prizes I have occasionally "earned".  Despite this poor track record, I am eternally optimistic that I am truly "lucky".  If we want to get philosophical, I have been extremely lucky in my health, family, and happiness.  I am truly grateful for all that I have.  I think we all probably know what I mean, though.  I am talking about the type of "luck" experienced by someone who wins a life changing amount from a lottery or contest such as this.  I can feel it -- this is my year.  This is not the first year I've had that feeling, though.  I think that I like contests such as this because I feel that it is not really costing me in the same way that buying lottery tickets and the like might.  I might purchase the occasional drink or fast food menu item anyway.  Deep down, however, I know its not true.  I am part of the reason that companies like McDonalds use these contests as a marketing tool.  I don't care.  I'm going to enjoy my month of Monopoly.  Good luck to all my fellow players, but I plan on winning.

The American Royal Barbecue - The World Series of BBQ

In perusing the news today, I discovered that this weekend, in Kansas City, Missouri, the 30th Annual American Royal Barbecue was held.  With nearly 500 teams of international origin (this year there are teams from as far away as Germany, Australia, and Jamaica), the festival includes musical entertainment, a Texas Hold-Em tournament, kids activities, and fireworks, but the ultimate focus is the culinary competition.  The Royal is apparently the largest barbecue contest in the world. As the competition is combined with a barbecue-related trade expo, this two-day food festival is truly the “World Series of Barbecue.”  I need to go to this one year.

Fifty Easy Soups

I love soup.  In some ways, soups and sauces are the quintessential culinary expression.  A friend once counseled me to test the quality of a restaurant and its chef by ordering soup.  Although soup can certainly be enjoyed year-round, with Fall now upon us, hot soup is becoming a more popular menu possibility.

On the Food Network website, tonight, I stumbled across this article providing basic recipes for fifty easy soups.  I plan to try a few of these.  If you are interested, I hope you enjoy as well.