What a perfect early winter day for soup! It’s cool and dark with a hovering, thick pregnant sky. I figured I had a small window, took off for a short bike sprint and came home a smiling but cold wet rat. While I showered, I warmed a bowl of Kettle Cuisine Three Bean Chili. I heated the soup as directed on the package in the microwave oven (yes, incredibly for a guy, I read the directions). The soup came out hot, deeply red and thick – a lot thicker than the photo on the package, and I’m glad for it. The steam that curled up off the bowl right away smelled comfortably rich with flavor.
Then my first taste was fun because I didn’t get the full flavor experience all at once. Even though cumin isn’t mentioned in the ingredients on the label, it was the first flavor I recognized. The next thing I noticed was the rich, fully flavorful tomato base along with the beans, which were cooked to tender firmness, not mushy at all. There was also corn in the mix that made for a sweet counterbalance to the savory flavors and green, yellow and red bell peppers to add a mild crunch of garden freshness. Then the last thing I noticed was the zing of red pepper that was definitely present but not overpowering, especially for a spice lover like me. I thoroughly savored every bite and was glad I had the time to enjoy it.
The Three Bean Chili is the first Kettle Cuisine soup I’ve ever tried, but I’ll certainly keep my eye out for more and recommend it to others – and not just for its full-on, all natural, fresh flavors. I read the nutrition label on the package. What struck me immediately was that unlike other prepared soups that rely on heavily on either or both fat and salt to provide a satisfying flavor, this soup was moderately low in both (5% daily value fat, 19% daily value salt). The soup is also gluten-free, and I very much appreciated the short “Father-Daughter Soup Story” on the back of the package explaining that Kettle Cuisine founder Jerry Shafir created a line of gluten-free soups to accommodate people like his daughter with gluten allergies. For more information about Kettle Cuisine soups, either check their website www.kettlecuisine.com or call 1-877-302-7687.