Invitations

Year 31 – 2023
Saturday, December 16, 2023, 6:00 p.m

1. Potato Cheese
2. Red Lentil Curry
3. Kimchi Soup with Shiitakes, Tofu and Kale
4. Pasta Fagioli
5.  Arizona Hippy
6. Chocolate Coffee Soup

Online donations at: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/bigsouppartyvirtualfooddrive2023/

144 people attended, and $4877.05 was raised for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Photos at : https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB7tcM

Year 30 – 2022
Saturday, December 10, 2022, 6:00 p.m

1. Potato Cheese
2. Mulligatawny
3. Tom Yum
4. Tomato and White Bean
5. Zucchini Corn Chowder
6. Chocolate Coffee Soup

Year 27 – 2019
Saturday, December 14, 2019, 6:00 p.m

1. Potato Cheese
2. Mulligatawny
3. Tom Yum
4. Tuscan Bean
5. Zucchini Corn Chowder
6. Chocolate Coffee Soup

Many Many Thanks to everyone who attended the 2019 Big Soup Party and donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank! About 185 people attended and donated just over $6000 in one evening. 

“Last year, the Food Bank distributed more than 33 million meals in [their] 11-county service area.” We hope everyone will click on the link and make another donation to support our neighbors in need.  https://www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/what-we-do/how-we-work/

The evening was a blast, the soup was hot and tasty, and the friends were warm and generous. Thank you all for being in our lives and for continuing to support the GPCFB. We will see you next year on December 12, 2020!

Thanks to CT, Ralphie & Missie, Laurel, Alex, Clayton & Valerie, Kim, and Brian & Will for cooking the soups, to Donna and Earl for cooking sides and decorating, to Nick Vargas for being the bigsoup photographer, and to Juddson & Samantha, Ralphie & Missie, Laurel, Alex, Liam and Quinn for all of the clean up help! 

Year 26 – 2018
Saturday, December 15, 2018, 6:00 p.m

WOW! 260 humans + 1 dog attended the bigsoup party! Thanks for supporting the 26th Annual Big Soup Party. You all raised $4000+ for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Donations are still coming in.

Thanks to the community Kate Pukinskis, Stephen Neely, Harriet Riley Lockton, Valerie Brown Merrell, Ralphie Hollibaugh and Missy, Alex Marthaler, Jon Dyer, Michele Kerr, Laurel Beatty that made the soup. (this was the first year Melissa did not make soup as she was kicked out of the kitchen with a cold)

1. Potato Cheese
2. African Peanut Soup
3. Arizona Hippy
4. Tomato Bisque
5. Vegan Hot and Sour
6. Chocolate Coffee Soup

Year 24 – 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 6:30 p.m

• Potato Cheese
• Hot and Sour
• Chocolate
• Tomato, Lime, and Tortilla Soup
• Mulligatawny Soup II
• Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Thank you for celebrating 24 years of Big Soup with us. The event raised $4,500+ for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. 216 people attended the 24th bigsoup party.

• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)
• African Peanut Soup
• G-CCC-Q (Ginger, Creamy Carrot Coconut, Quinoa)
• Tom Yum (Lemongrass)
• Pasta Fagioli
• Chocolate Coffee Soup

• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup) 
• Hot and Sour 
• Holy Grail Kale
• Arizona Hippy
• Flower Power
• Chocolate with cherries and whipped cream.

Thank you for such a fun and generous Big Soup night at the Neelyhouse! 235 people (including 87 kids) attending this years event. $2,820.98 was collected at the event and an additional gift of $6,000 was given making the grand total for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank $8,820.98!

Videos Making the soup for Big Soup!  Kitchen on Friday Music by Evan Neely http://youtu.be/Czzl_npaogA and Kitchen on Saturday http://youtu.be/EQDTVar7YUQ and Dining Room on Saturday http://youtu.be/a1vRJBx3iV4

THANK YOU, Nick Vargas from http://ee-studios.com/ for taking so many great photos and helping and inspiring the go pro videos! Valerie for always being such a good friend and a great cook! Donna and Earl or decorating my house and helping make soup. Thank you to Juddson and Samantha, the best SOUP helpers this year. Uncle Ralph and Aunt Missie for chopping and being great soup helpers!! Kathryn Sitter for driving with me to OHIO for supplies!! HA. 

WINNERS: Uncle Ralph and Aunt Missie – the furthest traveled from Texas Simon and Alex for the soup boot Arie Freedman for the E-bowl-A Paul Rosenblatt for the record bowl, Valerie for her custom bowl, and Carmon and Susie for the super bowl! 2014 Party PHOTOS

Year 21 – 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013 • 6:00 – 1:30 p.m.

• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)
• African Peanut Soup
• Fire Roasted Tomato
• Arizona Hippy
• Butternut Squash with Pecan Whisky Butter
• Chocolate with Raspberries

We would like to thank you for your generosity and heart for giving. Last night, 262 Friends (85 kids) attended the 21st Annual Big Soup Party. We raised $4,012.90 at the event (plus an additional donation of $5,000) for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

6 delicious soups and Many wonderful photos

Ella won most creative bowl with her handmade tongue bowl. Jenna won for eating with the largest spoon. Deb was the furthest traveled was from West Virginia. Runner-ups were the Eileen and Jeff with “Spoon-orah” and “A-Dora-bowl”. Honorable mentions: Simon with the seashell bowl.

THANK YOU

Nick Vargas from http://ee-studios.com/ for peeling potatoes and taking so many great photos that just captured the event! I don’t know how I did the photos without you, please come back and help with 2014. 🙂

Special thanks to James Bush and Joan Stone for arriving with the autographed photo of the “Soup Nazi” Larry Thomas.

Valerie for always being such a good friend and a great cook!

Zoe, Evan Neely, and Libby for crying over onions.

Kathryn Sitter for bringing yummy toppings for the chocolate soup.

Donna and Earl or decorating my house!

Nancy and Ken for cleaning.

MANY many thanks to Tim Tucker, Joseph Stamerra, and Molly D May (and friends) for playing the piano and singing and being the generous and kind musicians that you are. We were all so delighted and impressed and fortunate to have you perform at the party. Much love to you all.

Thank you to Judson Thomas and Chloe Holgate, the best SOUP helpers, ever. You two rock.

PHOTOS

Year 20 – 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012 • 6:30 pm

• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)
• Tomato, Lime, and Tortilla Soup
• Black-Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa
• Curried Red Lentil Soup
• Green Curry Coconut
• Chocolate Soup

ATTENDANCE: 260 Friends (79 kids) attended the 20th Annual Big Soup Party. We made 50 gallons of soup.

FUNDS RAISED: Photo from the night are on our flickr site and thanks for a great night!

Year 19 – 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011 • 6:30 pm

• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)
• Thai Cashew and Coconut Soup top with Cilantro, Scallions, Cashews, and Coconut milk
• Vegetable Peanut Chowder top with Peanuts
• Mulligatawny II
• Tuscan Bean top with Parmesan Cheese

Dessert Soups:  Yin-Yang or drizzle one over the other

• Chocolate Soup
• Sweet Walnut

240 Friends (70 kids) attended the 19th Annual Big Soup Party. We raised $3,000 for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. 2011 Party Pictures

Year 18 – 2010

• Chocolate Coffee Soup (2008)
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)
• Vegetarian Pho
• Black Bean with Pesto
• Spicy Tomato with Cheddar Tortilla Strips

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the GPCFB. You raised $2,230!

193 friends (132 adults and 61 kids) made the trip to eat Black Bean with Pesto, Vegetarian Pho, Potato Cheese, Spicy Tomato, and Chocolate Soup. There were kids everywhere (and I kind of like it that way!) A lot of these kids are now teenagers… wow how they have grown up. The biggest surprise of the evening was discovering the Pho soup was kicked at 8:30 and the others at 9:30! This year I could not capture photos of everyone who came to the party.

The furthest distance traveled was Josy from Hong Kong. Awards for most unique bowls went to Clayton (soupometer), Vince (fishbowl) and Craig (wax splash bowl). Largest spoon used was awarded to Toby. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful night! The bigsoup party was featured in the GPCFB Newsletter

Year 17 – 2009

• Curried Red Lentil Soup (2003)
• Black Bean Chipotle Soup (2006)
• Tomato, Lime, and Tortilla Soup (1998)
• Chocolate Coffee Soup (2008)
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Even with the crazy snow storm that hit Pittsburgh the morning of the Big SOUP Party 2009, it was a huge success. This was our first year to be in our new house. (right next door to our old house). 151 friends (40 kids) made the trip through the snow to eat Black Bean, Potato Cheese, Tomato Lime Tortilla, Curried Red Lentil Soup and Chocolate Coffee Soup. The kids played in the snow and folks enjoyed the fire outside. The pool table in the basement was a big hit. Tim T. gave us some wonderful songs at the piano, and Jeff F. won hands down for the most original bowl. Honorable mentions here, here, and here. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the GPCFB, We raised $1420!

Year 16 – 2008

• Black-Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa
• Spicy Peanut Stew
• Green Mulligatawny
• Chocolate Coffee Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

+ gigipan picts #1, #2, #3! (cool. thanks, Brian!)

Big SOUP 2008 was frightful (the weather, that is)! The temperature dropped and at 3:00 in the afternoon the roads were icy and dangerous. By 6:00 most of the roads were drivable, but there were still many friends who were not able to make the trip in. In spite of the ice and cold the 2008 Big SOUP Party set the new record for money raised for the GPCFB! We raised $1210.00 (w00t!) for the food bank. 136 friends made the trek for soup through the ice and wind (37 kids). We started the party at 6:00 PM for the first time and the last guests left at 2:30 AM. The Black Bean was the favorite of the evening. We kicked the Black Bean and the Spicy Peanut soups. Prizes were given at 9:30 for David L’s hand-carved face bowl and spoon, Noa L’s big spoon, and to Paul H. for traveling from Washington County. Michael N’s tri-bowl, Eileen F’s candle bowl, Todd’s Santa Boot bowl, Kate P’s snoopy spoon, and Kyra B’s tiny tiny bowl all received honorable mentions.

Year 15 – 2007

• Yin-Yang Soup
  1A—-Yin: Coconut Spinach and Pea Soup
  1B—-Yang: Thai Corn Chowder
• The Big Chili
• Chocolate Coffee Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

The 2007 big Soup Party started early and ended late. Judi Cagley showed up at 6:45 and Janelle B. left around 1:40 am. Four soups in five pots, 145 people (38 of them were children!), $758 raised for the GPCFB. The Thai Corn Chowder was the first to go with the Chocolate Coffee Soup in hot pursuit. The Yin-Yang soup was the dominant experience of the evening. Equal time was spent discussing the taste as was spent trying to create the perfect Yin-Yang symbol in the bowl. Prizes were awarded at 9:00 to Ryan L. for his double-decker, built on-site bowl, Dr. Jeff and Eileen F. for their eco-friendly, hand carved, organic, hollowed rutabaga and pineapple bowls (respectively), to Leo Hildebrant for his square LEGO bowl, Kate Froeshl for the largest spoon used, Carmon Rinehart for his most excellent Yin-Yang demonstration, and to Laura Bentrem for traveling the farthest, from Greensburg, PA. We are so excited to have increased the collective donation to the GPCFB, more $ from a smaller crowd. MANY THANKS to everyone who contributed.

Year 14 – 2006

• Fire Soup with Cucumber Riata
• Green Mulligatawny
• Black Bean Chipotle Soup
• Spiced Chocolate Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

The 2006 big Soup Party was quite an evening. Five soups, 162 people (27 of them were children!), $764.11 raised for the GPCFB. The Black Bean Chipotle Soup was the first to go. It was gone by 9:45. The Mulligatawny was the favorite of the evening with the Spiced Chocolate soup running a close second. Prizes were awarded at 9:00 to Paul Rosenblatt for his tiny rowboat bowl, Eileen Freedman for her soup quote bowl, Jeff Freedman for his amazingly large end table bowl and Sebastian Tomasits for his hand-painted guitar ceramic bowl. The Hankins clan traveled the farthest from Harrisburg, PA. The largest spoon used was brought by Ryan Laib. We are so excited to have increased the collective donation to the GPCFB by nearly $300. MANY THANKS to everyone who contributed. Way to Go!!

Year 13 – 2005

• Gujarati Pepper and Black-Eyed Pea Soup
• Mexican Tomato Soup
• Spiced Peach Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

We had a great time at the 2005 big Soup Party. 135 people, $480 raised for the GPCFB. We did not kick any of the pots of soup this year, but there was not much left of any of them. There was not a consensus on the best soup of the evening. The crowd was divided evenly between all 4 soups. The fire pit on the back deck and the singing around the piano were highlights of the evening. Jeff Freedman won most original bowl with his hand-carved log of maple bowl with matching spoon, Glenn Greene won a prize for the largest spoon used, Laura and Casey Sokol drove down from Toronto, Canada and received the award for the furthest distance traveled and we gave an honorable mention to Jackie Goldblume for her wonderful reindeer-pig bowl.

Year 12 – 2004

• Mulligatawny
• Ribollita
• Mysore Rasam
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

The 2004 big Soup Party was a blast! 127+ people, $346 raised for the GPCFB, the Mysore Rasam soup was “kicked” at 9:20, the Ribollita soup was gone at 11:00, and the Mulligatawny was the favorite of the evening. By 2:00 am, we had served about 310 cups of soup!

Year 11 – 2003

• Curried Red Lentil Soup
• Chestnut-Fennell Soup with Apple Walnut Chutney
• Chayote Squash with Lemongrass and Ginger Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

130+ people, $210+ raised for the GPCFB, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette came, we “kicked” 3 of the 4 soups, 320 cups of soup served!

Year 10 – 2002
Soups Served (the best soups of the decade):

• Caribbean Black Bean Soup (1997)
• Pistou Soup (1999)
• Curried Peanut Soup (1998)
• Tomato, Lime, and Tortilla Soup (1998)
• Potato Cheese Soup (every year, our “house” soup)

Year 9 – 2001

• Roasted Tomato and Pasta Soup
• Vegetable Gumbo
• Malaysian Cabbage and Peanut Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 8 – 2000

• Cream of Green Soup (acknowledgment to Melissa Kelley)
• Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Soup (cold soup)
• Lemongrass Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 7 – 1999

• Croatian Sour Soup
• Pistou Soup
• Spicy Seven-Bean Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 6 – 1998

• Curried Peanut Soup
• Classic Minestrone
• Tomato, Lime, and Tortilla Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 5 – 1997

• Caribbean Black Bean Soup
• African Peanut Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 4 – 1996

• Southwestern Zucchini-Corn Chowder
• Egyptian Bean & Vegetable Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 3 – 1995

• Spicy Tomato Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)

Year 2 – 1994

• Gypsy Soup
• Potato Cheese Soup (our “house” soup)