As all football fans are well aware, this weekend’s contests in Denver and Carolina will determine who will be playing in Super Bowl 50. John and Joe have their recipe books out and their thinking caps on, but they won’t be able to announce their 2016 Souper Bowl soups (available January 26 through Super Bowl Sunday) or their 2016 Souper Bowl menus (available Super Bowl weekend) until next week.
Lest you think these plans are just a frivolous diversion along the lines of “boys being boys,” we want you to know that the Bruno family prepares for Super Bowl Sunday as carefully and thoroughly as either of the competing teams. Brother Tom spearheads the plans for the family’s party menu, with plenty of suggestions and arguments flying back and forth via email, text, and phone. Then there is the matter of getting the authentic products. In past years, family members have been known to drive to NY to pick up special pastries, and orders have been placed with vendors in distant cities. Last year, the manufacturer of the Seahawks 12th Man milk chocolate and sea salt candy bar couldn’t promise delivery in time for Super Bowl Sunday. Undaunted, John made some calls and learned that a friend’s wife was in Seattle on business, so Jill got a call, found the candy bars, and flew home with them in the knick of time. For the New England side of things last year, Amy’s parents were asked to locate the jellied orange slices made by Boston Fruit Co. to complement the NECCO (New England Confectionary Company) wafers that were purchased locally. No problem – until they realized this would entail going to the supermarket that carried the candies during a pre-blizzard shopping nightmare. Carts were loaded with batteries, water, and enough food items to feed families of ten for a month; other shoppers stared at the containers of candy in her parents’ hands, their sole purchases. In a previous assignment, the Stevens were asked to bring New England hot dog rolls (sliced on the top, not the side). Mission accomplished. Then an astute member of the Bruno family read the wrapper and noted that the rolls are actually made in Horsham!
And what, you may ask, is the point of these stories? We want to assure you that no recipe is too bizarre or any ingredient too far-fetched (literally) to be ruled out by the Brunos. John and Joe will certainly make similar preparations for the Souper Bowl challenge here at Toscano’s! Tune in next week for the final menus.