Homemade goodness steams up at St. Ann Soup-Off

Sheri Trusty
·3 min read
St. Ann parishioners and local residents pour ladles of chicken noodle soup, shrimp bisque and potato cheddar soup into sample-size cups.
St. Ann parishioners and local residents pour ladles of chicken noodle soup, shrimp bisque and potato cheddar soup into sample-size cups.

FREMONT — St. Ann Catholic Parish was filled with the scents of steaming noodles and seasoned vegetables Friday as parishioners toted crockpots full of soup for the church’s annual Fremont Soup-Off.

Celebrity judges Mayor Danny Sanchez and Downtown Fremont Executive Director Kristie Bilger voted for the three tops soups. Three People’s Choice winners also were named.

“It’s been an annual event since 2017. Winners get bragging rights, and I have a sweet treat for them,” said Soup-Off organizer Bernadette Rusher, who serves as the church’s director of Evangelization and Parish Life.

Rusher took over the event this year from former organizer Jeff Good, who is a member of St. Ann. Although the soup cookoff is officially a fundraiser, that isn’t the focus of the event.

Goal of soup-off is community fellowship

“This was never done to make money. It was always about getting together, eating some good soup and having fun,” Good said.

Among this year’s contestants were Jim Morley, who took first place in last year’s competition with his homemade shrimp bisque.

“I’m not looking to maintain my title this year. It’s just about eating soup and having fun,” he said.

Jim Morley entered a chicken noodle soup he created with noodles his wife, Janet Morley, made with an old family recipe.

Celebrity judge Kristie Bilger she enjoyed tasting the wide variety of different soups at the Fremont Soup-Off at St. Ann Parish.
Celebrity judge Kristie Bilger she enjoyed tasting the wide variety of different soups at the Fremont Soup-Off at St. Ann Parish.

“While I was making them, I was thinking of my grandma making noodles with whatever egg yokes she had leftover. Grandma did it all by hand, cutting them with a knife,” Janet said. “We lived on a farm out by Kingsway, and we always had chickens, always had eggs and always had chicken noodle soup.”

Former soup-off winner changed from chili entry to beef noodle

Another former Soup-Off winner, Pat Heyman, entered a beef noodle soup. In previous years, her homemade chili won first and second places.

“I make my own tomato juice in the fall, and that’s what people think made my chili different,” Heyman said.

People line up to try samples of soup behind St. Ann Director of Evangelization and Parish Life Bernadette Rusher at the Fremont Soup-Off on Nov. 11. Rusher organized the church’s annual event.
People line up to try samples of soup behind St. Ann Director of Evangelization and Parish Life Bernadette Rusher at the Fremont Soup-Off on Nov. 11. Rusher organized the church’s annual event.

This year’s Judge’s Choice winners were: First place, Deb Herb; second place, Brenda Fey; and third place, Margie Jibilian.

People’s Choice winners were: First place, Irma Celestino; second place, Deb Herb; and third place, Jim Morley.

The event featured a 50/50 raffle, a beef raffle and a Taste of Fremont raffle basket filled with products from Down Thyme Café, Elroy’s Deli Market, Ralph’s Joy of Living, The Open House, Applewood Bistro, Chud’s Grille, 818 Club, Fremont Athletic Supply, Alabaster Jar Collective, CoCo Beans Candy & More, and The Garrison. The St. Ann Altar Rosary Society was promoting its annual Christmas Cut-out Cookie Sale.

This was the second year Bilger served as a celebrity judge.

“It was a lot of fun last year. I walked in not knowing what to expect, but this crew is a lot of fun,” she said. “There is a lot of variety – thick, thin, seafood, vegetable. There’s a lot of great talent with soup making here.”

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Homemade goodness steams up at St. Ann Soup-Off