Giveaway: Bertolli New Premium Meal Soup in the Freezer Aisle

Last night I went to a fun event hosted by Bertolli Soup, called Soup Opera.  It was very chi-chi with almost all us mommy bloggers dressed in black :) instead of our usual work-attire of *ahem* pajamas!  A kitchen at Kendall College was transformed with candles, black tablecloths and club lighting.  A woman sang opera in one corner of the room – it was an amazing and unique atmosphere.

The chef who created four new soups for Bertolli, Chef Michael Christiansen introduced us to the concept of a “meal soup” and told us about development of the product.  He would make the soups, much like a chef in a restaurant and the product development team at Bertolli would add the science of duplicating his art for mass quantities.  They measured and weighed and analyzed the ingredients.  Calculated temperatures and water loss.  Bertolli wanted to create restaurant-quality soups that tasted delicious and were packed full of crisp veggies, perfectly-cooked meat and al dente pasta that would leave you feeling satisfied.

Can you imagine trying to ensure consistent quality and taste for mass produced soup?  I learned something that I’d never heard before when Chef Michael was talking about the vegetables and herbs used in the soups.  Did you know that the veggies and herbs can be flash frozen at the farm?  How cool is that?  The vegetables and herbs are picked at the farm at the peak of freshness- Bertolli can tell them for example, what sugar content they want in a tomato – and then the farmer freezes it right there at the exact ripeness and sends it to the Bertolli kitchens.  Wow.

But how long does it take to make?  Who has the time to make soup at home unless it comes from a can?  These frozen soups are so easy!  You open the package, put in a pot, add water and cook for ten minutes.  Yup, ten minutes!  Just enough time to slice some bread, pour a glass of wine, set the table.  How easy is that?

The chef pointed out that even in an excellent restaurant, the consistency of a soup will change from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.  No matter how wonderful the chef, the pasta and veggies will not have the same freshness after simmering for an additional three hours.  With the Bertolli Premium Meal Soups, you don’t have that problem.

Soup is time consuming and difficult to make at home, yet so perfect for a wintry day!  With cold and snow coming our way, we’ll be stocking up on soup for cozy, comforting dinners.  I love the concept of the “meal” soup.  As much as we love to eat soup, it makes sense to make it the entree – the star attraction.

There are four varieties of the Bertolli Premium Meal Soup currently at your grocery store.  These are in order of my favorites ;)

1.  Tomato Florentine – Yummmmmmy!  This soup was so delicious.  I was instantly transported to my favorite Italian restaurant.  Cheese-filled tortellini, white meat chicken, spinach and tomatoes in a rich tomato bisque with a hint of basil.  Hungry yet?

2.  Chicken Minestrone – Roasted white meat chicken, beans, zuccini, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes and pasta in a hearty vegetable broth.

3.  Chicken & Rotini Pasta – This one was so colorful!  Roasted white meat chicken, pasta, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and celery in a savory chicken broth.

4.  Tuscan Beef & Vegetables – Tender beef, mushrooms (lots of mushrooms!), yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and celery with bowtie pasta (firm, not mushy!) in a savory broth.

Bertolli gave me a “Tasting Certificate” to share with you!  It’s good for one free Bertolli Frozen Meal Soup or Frozen Meal.  Enter in the Rafflecopter below.

Disclosure of Material Connection: All opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. I attended an event and was given free soup and a coupon for free soup in the hope that I would write about it on my blog.