Soup recipes

When the weather turns hot and muggy, it's time to chill out.

And a growing number of people are learning how a cold bowl of soup can help them do just that, as well as satisfy hungry appetites.

Sue Chapel, manager of the Cascades Manor House, 1970 Kibby Road, said gazpacho is an annual summer favorite among diners. The taste of chopped tomatoes and other seasonal vegetables, served with a dollop of Avocado Salsa, is very popular.

Occasionally, customers share their favorite recipes with Chapel, as was the case with a member of Sigma Phi Gamma. The sorority was having lunch at the Manor House, and a member asked if Chapel's staff could prepare the Iced Raspberry Soup (see accompanying recipe). Chapel proclaimed it delicious.

David J. Ansel of Austin, Texas, knows about soups because he sells gallons of homemade soups in that city in a very unusual way. His business is The Soup Peddler, and Ansel delivers various soups to homes and businesses by riding his bicycle.

He closes in the summer -- the Texas heat is apparently too steamy even for cold soup -- and right now is doing research for a novella, an account about his business combined with soup recipes. More on his soup business can be found at www.souppeddler.com.

People have always had a love affair with soup; essentially, it is our first and last food because it is the first thing we eat as a baby (a watered-down version of 'adult' foods) and the last thing we eat as an elder.

Cold soups, Ansel said, are a relatively recent addition to our culinary repertoire. He makes more than a half dozen cold soups, and he shared the recipe for Avgolemono Soupa. Avgolemono is a Greek word that means egg-lemon, two of the main ingredients in the broth.

"Cold soups are often considered liquid salad," Ansel said.

And gazpacho certainly fits that description. Not only is it the most famous and popular of the cold soups, but it is a great way to use fresh garden vegetables.

"The Joy of Cooking" describes gazpacho as "a summer delight from the caves of Spain, where it is held cooled. Just before serving, a few cubes of ice are added."

Some cooks, it noted, like a smooth soup that has been through a blender. Others prefer small pieces of vegetables.

It recommends chilling the soup about two hours or more before serving. To serve, place in each bowl two ice cubes and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Add the soup and sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup crumbled dry bread.

Whatever type of cold soup you are serving, make sure it is well chilled and served in chilled dishes.