The 7th Annual Upper Bay Seafood Soup Challenge will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 25 2010 on the grounds adjacent to the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. Tickets are 10:00.

Summer, in Havre de Grace, means the arrival of not only fresh and tasty local-grown produce, but bushel baskets of lively Blue crabs. What better way to enjoy the bounty of our land of pleasant living than to combine them in a delicious soup. While many prefer Maryland Crab Soup, there just may be an equal number who rank Cream of Crab at the top of their soup list. The state’s restaurant and catering chefs, however, continue to entice us with yet additional gourmet selections in this food category. How wonderful for us to be given the opportunity to sample the culinary delights beyond our Maryland Crab and Cream of Crab Soups.

Thanks to the following eight Upper Bay restaurants and two catering companies for competing in “The Challenge” this year: Silks Restaurant at Bulle Rock, the Laurrapin Grille, MacGregor’s Restaurant, the Tidewater Grille, Gus’s 2 Pizza and Grill, The  Wellwood, Knickers Restaurant and Pub, The Players’ Grill, Laughing Crab Catering and Tommy’s Grillin Catering. The entrants will provide an incredible 17 soups that are sure to delight our taste buds. While we bestow four awards today, each of these fine establishments receives accolades every day from their patrons for their superb culinary offerings.

We are honored to have as judges this year our new Havre de Grace Maritime Museum board president, Mr. Phil Barker;

Mrs. Brigitte Peters, Marketing and Tourism Manager for the city of Havre de Grace; and Mrs. Mary Paramore, Associate Editor of Harford Business Ledger. Our last judge was also a former chef in the Military Culinary Arts Program. Today’s emcee is the ever popular Don Shappelle, singer/songwriter from Wilkes-Barre, PA, who also calls Perryville, home. A special thanks to Don and his lovely wife, Brigitte, for their continued support of not only the “Challenge”, but the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. Finally, a warm thank you is given to the many volunteers who have helped set-up and work this event. It takes more than a “bushel” to make this annual event the success that it has become.

Proceeds from this event help fund educational programs of the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum.

Point of contact:

Carolyn W. Colburn (410-939-5706)

The following restaurants are participating in our Upper Bay Seafood Soup Challenge:

• Laurrapin Grille

• Knickers Restaurant and Pub

• MacGregor's Restaurant

• Silks Restaurant at Bulle Rock

• The Player's Grill

• Tidewater Grille

• Laughing Crabs Catering
  
  
• Tommy's Grillin Catering Service

• The Wellwood

• Gus's 2 Pizza and Grill