Do the culinary classics demand preservation and protection so they can be handed down unchanged from generation to generation? Or are we allowed to put our own spin on them so they can carry new meanings and (gasp!) even be improved?

I like to think I have a foot in both camps. We should learn the classics and their histories and pass them along. We should also feel free to apply our own twists to the tried and true.

Tomato soup holds a special place in my belly, and likely in yours. Don’t we all remember a favorite Montana diner version, served with salty crackers or a gooey grilled cheese?

Some would say the classic tomato soup is already perfect, so don’t mess with it. I can’t argue with that. But my love of food includes adventure, which drives me to explore new flavors, ingredient

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