Summer and soup don’t usually go together. Once the mercury rises, the very thought of sipping a steamy bowl of hearty potage is enough to give a person the vapors.
Unless, of course, the soup is refreshingly chilled. Cold soups like gazpacho and vichyssoise create innovative flavor pairings that tease the palate as they refresh.
“In the summertime, when we put cold soups on the menu, they are automatically our best seller,” said Greg Salisbury, owner of Rx in Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood. “There’s an appeal to ordering something in a restaurant that you might not typically make at home. Cold soups are refreshing, and in most cases, they’re made with healthy ingredients.” Blueberry ginger soup, made from local berries, grated fresh ginger, sugar, mint and garnished with whole milk yogurt, is one of Salisbury’s top sellers. People really don’t eat as much in the summertime,” said Salisbury. “Our check averages drop $5 per person. I think a lot of customers skip the heavier entrees or dessert.”
Cold soups offer another bonus. In most cases they’re made with healthy ingredients. Chilled vegetable soups, usually low in calories, are deeply flavored, easy to make and a convenient way to get your quota of daily veggies. A welcome alternative to the ever-present summer salad, cold soups are colorful, bringing a rainbow of nutritious antioxidants and vitamins to the plate. Since the more colorful our food, the better it is for us, cold soup is as nutritious as it is tasty. Think of a chilled vegetable soup as an alternative to a smoothie, an ideal grab-and-go concoction that fills you up without weighing you down. As to what makes a good cold soup, just about anything seasonal and fresh goes.
One of the best known cold soups is gazpacho, a powerhouse of flavor that includes the garden’s mid-summer harvest of tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, onions and herbs. Although there are many variations to the dish, it originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, where it is typically served as a first course.
While some cold soups, like gazpacho, are a product of Mediterranean climes, cold-weather countries have their cold soups too. For instance, Lithuania for shchav, a spring soup made with sorrel and Poland is known for chlodnik (HWAD-neek), a chilled beet borscht. Although hot soup is served in the summer in most traditional Polish households, this refreshing alternative combines favorite ingredients like beets and dill for a chilly first course.
Making a cold soup is usually as easy as flipping the switch on the blender or food processor. In many cases, there’s no need to fire up the stove at all, since both the sweet and savory ingredients can be blended raw. If there is any cooking involved, it’s usually minimal. Veggies like summer squash, zucchini, peppers, onions can be simmered until they just start to soften. Next, puree with fresh herbs like dill or parsley and enough chicken or vegetable broth to get the consistency perfect. Chill, and garnish with low fat yogurt and more snipped herbs.
Once chilled, soup tends to lose some of its flavor, so be sure to check the taste before serving and add more seasonings if it is bland. Cold soup also tastes best when consumed within two days. If the mixture separates during refrigeration, whirl the soup in a blender before serving.
Fruit soups, which can incorporate both fruits and vegetables, like the popular beet and blueberry borscht at RX, are especially light and easy to make. Combine fresh fruit in a blender with unsweetened juice, mint and yogurt, and dessert is ready to go.
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