I have been meaning to tell you about this delicious super simple, no measurements needed ( my favorite ) recipe for summer garden gazpacho. I made it last week and have not gotten around to posting it yet.
I have a few days left before I start-up my full-time teaching position again in September as well as a new part-time job teaching a college course for the first time. I planned to spend my last week of vacation in school, at the copy machine, to copy all the work for the whole semester. Until I got a call from a friend who lives on the beach. She was truly the little devil on my shoulder and suddenly made me realize that I was out of my mind to spend the last beautiful days of summer in a copy room when I could enjoy TODAY. I went, had a beautiful day her and her adorable son and vowed to enjoy, relax and take it easy for the next few days.
I woke up the next morning with my new attitude and decided to cook all the recipes I have been wanting to make this summer and have put off. A trial batch of beignets, a tomato, cheese and pesto strata, bourbon peach butter, the key lime and blackberry Italian meringue pie from the cover of Bon Appetit as well as lattice top mini cherry pies, raspberry crumb tartlets and blueberry galettes. In the midst of this crazy kitchen day, I burnt myself pretty bad, went to call for help while running my hands under water for the burn and got my phone wet ,which then broke. A few minutes later I thought I was really losing my mind and got seriously dizzy and off-balance. I wasnt crazy because apparently, I experienced the weirdest little earthquake to hit NY in some time. But with my new “take it easy motto”, I just brushed it off and enjoyed some pie.
Then came Irene. If you live on the East Coast of the USA, you know all about this feisty lady by now. The normal me would have been all crazed at the first mention of it but I stayed pretty calm for a few days. We don’t usually get hit bad in NY and they usually blow these things out of proportion to make good news. And then today I snapped. It’s that damn scary music they play on the weather channel and the pictures of the swaying palm trees, they get me every time. I make fun of those “nutty” people who panic at the grocery store but I am secretly just as bad. I try not to hoard unnecessary amounts and I would never push or grab but I will get my hands on the last bunch of bananas if it’s the last thing I do. I havent been so happy to get my hands on D batteries since I was kid on Christmas with a new electronic toy. I’m gonna start doing stupid things, like putting my socks in rainbow color order for no reason. I can feel the crazy creeping in. I don’t know how I am going to survive the more than 24 hour wait until this hurricane finally shows up. So in my efforts to stay busy, and for the sake of my sock drawer, I am here to share with you a recipe that is delicious at room temperature, in case YOU also wont have electricity to heat it up.
Summer Garden Gazpacho
- 4-5 vine ripe tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1/4 cup ( handful) almonds
- 2 slices white bread (stale or toasted if possible)
- 1 clove garlic
- splash of red wine vinegar
- salt, pepper and olive oil
Dice up vegetables. In a blender or food processor, puree almonds, garlic and vinegar. Then add chopped tomatoes and cucumbers and begin to drizzle in olive oil. When the soup reaches a drinkable consistency stop the blender and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in bread and puree again. Adjust consistency with more olive oil. Serve room temperature or cold with sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
To all my East Coast readers be safe, stay calmer than me and cook some delicious food before the storm comes. Thank you for listening, I feel better.
Lessons in Food 