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If you haven’t tried one of Vicki Leszczynski’s delicious and wholesome soups, you need to stop by her booth soon! Vicki is the creator of Ela Made Me Do It soups, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for us about herself and her soups!

What was your inspiration to begin making soups? How long have you been doing it?

Instead of daycare my parents used to send me to Poland for the full six week Summer break. There I spent most of my time with my grandmother Ela learning to cook food from scratch. Soup is not just a dish, it’s a daily course in most Polish households. We walked to the local market every morning to get chicken bones for the soup of the day (except Saturdays we’d buy double because the market was closed Sundays). So, realistically, I’ve been making soups since I was 5! At 17 I went to culinary school and I’ve bounced around from cook positions, catering, event planning, waitressing and bartending. I’ve loved working in the hospitality industry but cooking simple nutritious food has always been my number one passion.

Tell us something about yourself that our customers may not know

When I’m not in the kitchen my hobbies include painting, gardening and I’m always prioritizing my other passion, traveling. I’ve brought back many recipes from my travels and I’m a real stickler for the authentic… meaning my Thai soup has about 23 ingredients.

What is your favorite part of selling at farmers markets?

The community of local vendors! I have been embraced and made to feel part of something really special.
Being able to support my family doing something I love is just a bonus.

Why is buying local important?

Supporting our local economy, supporting small business and directly supporting their families.
It was actually three ambitious female entrepreneurs who made me aspire to start Ela Made Me Do It! Lillie Greenwood owner of Betty Baguette, Maureen Baker owner of Bobali Fine Foods and Genvieve Blanchet owner of Le Meadows Pantry, the last two are fellow Farmers Market vendors you may recognize. My grandmother indirectly taught me the joy of buying something directly from the person who created it. Whether it’s Tim and Flo of Rockweld Farm selling me the bones for my soup, or any of the hard working vendors selling you and I their products at the market!

You can find Vicki and her soups at every Port Moody Winter Farmers Market during the month of January!

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