Soups for the Summer

When most people hear the word soup, they think of hearty, robust, hot wintertime soups. However, not all soups are hot. Did you know that in Europe, chilled fruit soups are a favorite summertime delight?

All you need is a food processor or blender and a little imagination, and you will have a no cook meal in about ten to fifteen minutes. You can use the fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden or farmers market. For Peachy Ginger Soup, take three and a half pounds of fresh peaches (pitted, peeled, and chopped), one teaspoon ground ginger, add one and one-third cups heavy cream, and two tablespoons rum for a creamy fruit delicacy. This recipe can be found at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peachy-ginger-soup/detail.aspx.

Alternately, you can try a Strawberry Champagne Soup using five cups of quartered strawberries. Sweeten with one-fourth cup sugar, then add one-eighth teaspoon salt and one cup champagne and blend until smooth. It is better if you chill it for about two hours before serving. This recipe can be found at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-champagne-soup/detail.aspx.

If you need to use some of your vegetable garden produce, an Andalusian Gazpacho is a good way to enjoy the flavorful vegetables. Dice one peeled cucumber, one green bell pepper, three tomatoes, and two stalks of celery. Add two minced cloves of garlic and two and a half cups of rinsed and drained navy beans. Pour six tablespoons red wine vinegar, two tablespoons olive oil, and forty-six ounces of tomato juice over vegetables. Season with one-teaspoon ground cumin and one tablespoon each of fresh minced parsley and fresh minced basil, along with one-half tablespoon minced oregano and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Chill four hours and serve. This recipe can be found at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/andalusian-gazpacho/detail.aspx.

There is no end to the combinations of ingredients to make great summertime soups. Let your imagination soar. Do not be shy about modifying recipes to get the flavors your whole family can enjoy.