Bruegger's Soup

I have been having a lot of soup for lunch lately. Why? Because at the over-ripe age of 37, I am going through orthodontic treatment with braces. Mid-life crisis, you ask? Perhaps. Truffle is worried that it is a form of gateway treatment for other cosmetic adjustments. I have assured her that I will not be having a boob job any time soon, though I might consider Botox in my 50s. Heck, by then, everyone will be self-administering the stuff!


In any case, with all this metal and ceramic induced pain in my mouth, soups make for a good and nourishing meal. Which is why I was really pleased when we were served soup and salad from Brueggers at the recent Pat's Place luncheon. It was their fire-roasted tomato soup with a blue cheese salad. There is a Brueggers (a bagel cafe chain for those not familiar with it) across the street from work but I had never tried it as I tend to stay away from bagels. I have always understood bagels to be carb-intensive and to have a high glycemic index. A real "no no!" in my mind. But this lunch changed my perception of Brueggers.

I have written about Pat's Place before (see post on Granola Bars). Pat's Place is a child advocacy center for sexually abused children - essentially a one-stop-shop for such children to have medical exams, forensic interviews (video recordings which can be used in court) and a social worker who will coordinate between the family, the department of social services, the police and the district attorney to investigate, treat and prosecute child abuse. The staff are incredible and I really enjoy helping out in small ways with their PR and Communications efforts.

Pat's Place serves the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area in NC, which includes Davidson, and I had recently invited a group of powerful women from Davidson to Pat's Place to help raise awareness in our area. The staff encourage groups of people to join them for an organized lunch where they talk about what they do and they take you on a tour of the premises. It's a pretty heartbreaking tour, but since I had done it a few times, I was a little more hardened and was able to enjoy the fire-roasted tomato soup. It was chunky, hot and sour, and smacked of country smoke. The strips of tomato were almost like the best roasted red peppers (capsicum/bell peppers) and yielded even more flavor when I chewed on it gingerly. Unfortunately, my tight group of girlfriends did not enjoy the soup as much. I saw many of them leave it unfinished and it was not because the soup wasn't good....

So, if you are still reading this, try out Brueggers!  More importantly, if you are reading this and live in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, here are some actions you can take that can have great impact in our community:

1. Get Pat's Place to give a talk at your church, your children's schools, your country club, your YMCA and spread the word. Fund raising is not the issue, it is basic awareness and education for parents to protect our own children from predators.
2. Attend Blue Jeans and Barbeque, their biggest fundraiser, on September 24, 2011. I'll be there.
3. Hold a lunch or wine evening of your own and have Pat's Place talk to your guests. Every person counts.

If you are still reading this and live elsewhere and would still like to help, donate online through their website (http://www.patsplacecac.org/). At the very least, be informed about child sex abuse and help with its prevention in your own community.

Best,

Cinnamon