Chef John Howie, proprietor of Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar in Seattle, is gearing up for a “Stone Soup” food collection benefitting Food Lifeline at his South Lake Union location beginning Thursday, Nov. 3 through Thursday, Nov. 17.
Donors of non-perishable food items placed in the designated containers in any participating 2200 Westlake retail store will be given an invitation to return and enjoy a complimentary cup of hot, delicious soup prepared and served by Howie in the plaza outside of Seastar from 4:30–7 p.m. on Nov. 17.
Former Seattle Mariner Jay Buhner will help pass out soup from 6–7 p.m. that day. Like the villagers in the story of “Stone Soup,” it is a way for the community to celebrate together as the Seastar Catering Truck is packed with donations on the Thursday before Thanksgiving.
In the event’s namesake tale, some travelers come to a small hamlet, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with them. The travelers then go to the neck of a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. Eventually, a curious villager asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor. The villager does not mind parting with just a small bit of carrot to help them out, and it gets added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup, which has not reached its full potential yet. He hands them a little bit of seasoning to help out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all.
Howie will be serving vegetable barley soup with herbs, from his upcoming cookbook Passion and Palate. Participating 2200 Westlake merchants providing drop off boxes for food donations include Align Chiropractic, Be Luminous Yoga, Clover House, Dr. Roger Anderson, DDS, Salon Azur, Scraps Dog Bakery, Tutta Bella, Vida Spa, Whole Foods, the Pan Pacific Hotel, and Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar.
Food Lifeline is a local hunger relief organization, efficiently serving the Western Washington area by using 96 percent of its revenue to directly feed hungry people. Last year Food Lifeline delivered more than 24 million meals to hungry people through its network of nearly 300 neighborhood food banks, hot meal programs, and shelters. Food Lifeline is also the local member of the nation’s largest hunger relief organization, Feeding America.
