Private Chef Mimi Houston

By: Author and Private Chef Mimi Houston

As the endless days of April showers had come to an end, May flowers had been in sight, and the warmth of Summer is upon us. I can almost feel the rays of sunshine warming the earth, the excitement of a hot breeze kissing our cheeks and the anticipation of the 1st bloom which is both blissful and intoxicating.

The same can be said of watching a dance scene from the renowned “Rocky Horror Picture Show”, the Time Warp Dance, which in my opinon was the best dance routine there had been, and like cooking, it’s instructional, and anyone can do it, singing and dancing with a wide variety of friends of that frankly, in my opinion, puts the twist to shame.

“If you want to find the secrets to the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration” ~ Nikola Tesla

At one moment or another, we are all inspired to do and create something wonderful. What happens to our bodies during these moments? We are all made up of energy and vibration, and our frequency changes. I am always excited when I feel this change, in this case, I wanted to create something to represent summer, a ray of sunshine, cool to the palate, hydrating the soul, a breath of fresh air if you will.

Let’s talk soup, a main dish often served with a bread roll or crusty bread. We have been making soup since ancient times. The high water content in soup is one of the most delicous ways to stay hydrated. Often, we associate hot, hardy style of soups for autumn or cold winter months, but its counterpart is often less mentioned, and almost every country has a cold or chilled soup.

Korea: Naengmyeon, a cold noodle soup.

Russia: Okroshka, a mixture of of most raw vegetables, boiled potatoes, eggs and cooked meat such as beef, sausage or ham with kvass; a non-alcoholic beverage made from fermented black or rye bread.

France: Vichyssoise, a puree of leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock

Spain: An Andalusian Gazpacho prepared with fresh red ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, day old bread, red bell capsicum, garlic, onion, salt and white wine vinegar.

When I think of cold or chilled soups, I think raw, uncooked, unprocessed fruits and vegetables because they pack more nutritional value than their cooked counterparts, and are deliciously refreshing.

Here I am featuring two Gazpachos inspired from Spain. A watermelon Gazpacho and a Corn Gazpacho with a Whipped Espresso for dessert.

A little piece of advice; “Eat only at meal times, Eat fresh and local; do not eat our of season” .. ~Confucius was a Foodie