Summer Soup

As a rule, I don't make soup until the first frost of the year. It gives me something to look forward to in the cooler months. I have my fall/winter recipes and my spring/summer recipes. I don't think I've ever made hot soups in the summer. Cold soup I will eat. I've made avocado soup, cold potato soup (Vichyssoise), cucumber/yogart soup (based on Tzatziki sauce) and my favorite Gazpacho soup. The original recipe was from a Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I took her basic ingredients and changed the amounts of my favorite ingredient, and lessened the amounts of my least favorite ingredients. I use the smallest onions I can find as I'm not wild about raw onions (...and in the summer, they have to be sweet Vidalia onions grown in south Georgia). She uses more garlic than I prefer, so I changed that amount too. I added more herbs because I grown them on my patio and use them whenever I think they will enhance a dish. I also added olives. I can eat olives by the bowlful, so I may as well add them to this wonderful soup. Gazpacho 8 pickling cucumbers,, halved and seeded 3 bell peppers: cored, seeded and chopped (I use one of each: green, red, and yellows) 8 plum tomatoes 2 small Vidalia onions (I'm not much on raw onion, so I use the small one and mince it) 4 garlic cloves, minced 46 ounces tomato juice (6 cups) 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup good olive oil (I used extra virgin olive oil from Kalamata, Greece....I'm Greek, What can I say? :D 1 Tablespoon kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper 6 springs of lemon thyme: I grow it on my patio, so I use it in a lot of things 10 or so fresh basil leaves: I grow this too.. so use it often Italian parsley (1/2 cup chopped): Yet another herb I grow! lemon juice to taste (I squeeze the lemon on individual servings as I like the citrus taste) For Garnishing the soup: black, green, and Kalamata olives 1/2 cup lemon slices 3 or 4 chopped green onions Roughly chop each type of vegetable. Put each type vegetable separately in food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped. Don't process too much or you will have puree. After each vegetable is processed, or chopped by hand, combine in large bowl. Add garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and herbs if desired. Mix well and chill. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. This is a nice refreshing soup. I served with crusty Italian bread slices. Since making it for the first time, I have decided that I like the bits of vegetables more chunky than the result in the food processor. Italian bread slices Slices of hearty Italian bread (Get the very hearty loaf, not the prewrapped soft Italian bread), drizzled with olive oil, topped with grated lemon zest, shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, minced dill, and ground pepper. Toast until golden. Especially nice for hot days in the U.S. with temps over 90 F. Enjoy!

New Restaurants

I like nothing more than food and everything connected with it: menu planning, reading cookbooks, grocery shopping (Yes, I love it), preparing meals, and enjoying them with family and friends. I'm always trying something new for dinner. Last night, I made vegetarian paella! It was good, but the saffron did not give the rice it's beautiful golden color! That's another story for another time.

Being from Atlanta, there are so many restaurants from which to choose. If a restaurant is famous for burgers, by all means, I'm going to have one of their burgers on the first visit. I went to Ted's Montana Grill and had a burger. It was fabulous! So, I've now tried many, many of their burgers since they are known for them. If the national soup of Viet-Nam is Pho, then that is the soup I will try at a Vietnamese restaurant. Pancakes at the "Original Pancake House", etc....

As a rule, I'm not a heavy breakfast eater. I'm just not hungry in the mornings. I really enjoy breakfast foods though. Yesterday, I went to a local cafe called "The Flying Biscuit Cafe". It was around noon, but they serve breakfast all day. Of course, before I even set foot in the door, I knew I was going to have a biscuit!! The friendly waiter explained many of the specials and must have said (at least three times) how wonderful the oatmeal pancakes were. I rarely eat pancakes, but he was going on and on how he eats them every day. I'd personally rather have a waffle or french toast. The menu at this place has a little bit of everything: pasta, meats, chicken, and of course breakfast food. I looked at the menu on the breakfast side, and I went the simple route and had an egg biscuit and coffee.

The biscuit was high unlike any other I have ever seen! Usually, biscuits are flatter in restaurants that I frequent. I believe there was a touch of cinnamon in the batter. Not exactly sure of all the spices, but it was a nice subtle taste. Along side was a butter made with cranberries and cinnamon. I've had "apple butter", but never cranberry butter. I took the top off of the biscuit, slathered (I like that term) it with butter and topped it with the cran-butter. I ate the other part of the biscuit with egg and cheese separately. I'm one to eat with a fork anyway, so it was not a problem taking apart the biscuit to eat.

The biscuit had a nice flavor, but I'm so used to a different texture biscuit. It was "fluffy" on the inside, but he outside was crunchy! I'm not wild about the crunchy-crusted biscuit, but the flavor won over the crunch! I was spoiled by my former mother in law who made biscuits from scratch. They were soft, tender, and melt in your mouth delicious. Visit this posting to read more about her biscuits:

http://frenchfriesonwednesday.blogspot.com/2009/05/breakfast-for-dinner.html

...another biscuit memory.... Guess who else makes terrific biscuits? My brother!!! I know he is an awesome cook, but had never had his biscuits. I'm sure he learned from his southern born wife how to make them as I know he didn't learn from our mom. We had the kind that came out of the can on the rare occasion that we had biscuits. I'll even make them on rare occasion myself. Not from the can though... but the freezer!! Hey, they aren't that bad if you just want to have ONE or TWO biscuits!

Yes, I'll go back and visit this place to give the biscuits another try. Perhaps with gravy next time....southern style! I'm sure that would soften up the "crunch". From experience, I know that they can be overcooked just a tad and lose their soft texture.

The place was so colorful, bright, and cheerful I'd go back just for that atmosphere! Nice, friendly staff also is a plus in any dining decision made!! Plus, with a menu selection as varied as this cafe, I'm sure there will be other foods just as delicious!