Indulge your soup-loving side on the South Side Saturday, as 20 chefs vie to win the South Side Mid-Winter Soup Contest.

The event will feature simmering kettles of soup from South Side restaurants in participating retail shops (look for balloons) along East Carson Street.

From 1 to 4 p.m., shoppers can sample the soups for free, as long as they donate at least one can of soup to the Brashear Association Food Pantry, which serves about 300 families a month.

Start at any participating shop, drop off your canned soup (or pay $5) and pick up a map, which serves as a ticket. Molly's Trolley will provide free transportation between sites.

The menu includes Spicy South Side Bisque, Scarfo's Chili, Salmon Bisque, Smoked Sausage Minestrone, Cream of Mushroom, Lamb & Grape Leaf Lentil, Portabella & Sun Dried Tomato Bisque, Potato & Leek with Chive-Creme Fraiche, and Strawberry.

Judging will take place at 4 p.m. (Food editor Suzanne Martinson is one of the judges.) Two contestants will take home People's Choice and Judges' Choice awards.

Lenten fish fries

Word of God School, McClure Avenue in Swissvale, has a fish fry every Friday during Lent. On the menu are fried and baked fish dinners, sandwiches, fried shrimp, clam chowder and more. Hours are 2:30 to 7 p.m. Call 412-371-8388.

Popa's Downtown Pizza on Smithfield Street has Big Popa's Mini-Fish, Popa's Cod Fish and Fish-on-a-Dish specials with two sides (choose from eight) during Lent.

Sustainability leader

Ron Gargasz, a long-time organic farmer from Lawrence County, received the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Farmers Leadership Award at the group's annual conference in State College Feb. 4.

The Volant farmer has been raising grass-fed Black Angus and Angus/Limousin beef cattle, plus grains and legumes since 1967.

Restaurant clients for the beef include Lidia's Pittsburgh and the big Burrito Restaurant Group. The beef is sold at McGinnis Sisters, the East End Food Co-op, Soergel's Orchards Market and at Gargasz's on-farm market from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

His sod-covered, passive-solar, earth-sheltered house, built in 1981, has become a regular stop on architect tours of "green" dwellings. Not far away is land he farms under a lifetime lease with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

The last word

"To make a good soup, the pot must only simmer or "smile." French proverb