(Dolen Perkins-Valdez, hardback). From the title you might think this is a book about the s-x word. It’s not. By a long shot. But the story, set in about 1852, is about a black slave woman, and her somewhat misguided “love” for her master. About the children she bore him, under the eagle eye of the master’s wife. But it’s all tied together with a yearly journey made to a place called Tawawa House, a rural inn of sorts in southern Ohio (a free State), that for some years allowed white slave owners to stay at the resort in rustic cottages with their black slaves, as couples. This place existed, according to the author’s afterword, and finally closed because some of the regulars (white couples who stayed in the main house) didn’t fancy this concubine business going on out in the woods. It’s about Lizzie’s relationships with the other slave women, about their desire to run to safety through the local underground, about them secretly meeting some free blacks, finding out more about abolition, and about the hardships all these black mistresses endured, and how little their lives were valued. A real stunning book. (I was sent this book as a perk from Harper Collins – because I had mentioned The Help. No strings attached – I could choose to mention this book, or not, here on my blog. I’m glad to because it’s a very good read.)
(Jamie Ford, on my Kindle). A poignant story about a Chinese-American, growing up in Seattle at the beginning of World War II. Henry falls in love with a young Japanese girl before her family is interned in a relocation camp. It a very secretive relationship because his parents would highly disapprove. The story goes back to the 40’s and forward to the 1980’s when Henry is in his 50’s and his wife (not the Japanese woman) has just died of cancer. The story pulls you in from the first page, especially when some artifacts are found in the basement of an old hotel which contain personal belongings from several Japanese families who were suddenly taken away back in 1942. You can see where it’s going, can’t you? I heard criticism of this book that it was just a little bit contrived. Halfway through I’m enjoying it very much.
(Kathryn Stockett on my Kindle, an excellent read); 
by Jetta Carleton (Kindle edition, eh); 
by Susan Richards (Kindle edition, good book); 
by Sally Gunning (Kindle edition, very good read)
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(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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Seeing a rendition of this soup over at Tortefeasor blog got me interested. There are lots of versions of white gazpacho out there on the ‘net, and several in my recipe to-try file as well, but this one sounded more healthy than many. The original was from Ellie Krieger (Food Network), but I made some alterations to the recipe, so it’s not really hers, or mine either, at this point. But it is based on Krieger’s recipe. It’s a combination. And it’s probably not authentic, either, since I ended up adding some fat free half and half (not much, though) to it. And a tetch of sugar too. Most likely that’s not authentic either.
What’s nice about this soup is that it’s all made in the food processor. No cooking involved, and relatively little chopping either. I used the hothouse cucumbers with skin (more nutrients, I’m certain), so it has a greener cast to it. True white gazpacho is really white or creamy colored.
It was some years ago that I read an in-depth article about gazpacho and learned that the Spaniards add some firm-type white bread to the soup to give it some substance, some body. What a thought – bread! That’s exactly what the bread does in this soup as well – gives it texture and body. The sourdough bread (crusts trimmed) was fresh, the grapes from Mexico not very sweet. The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar. To my tastes it made the soup way too tart and acidic, so since I’d already added it, I had to make adjustments somehow. That’s why I added the fat-free half and half and a bit of sugar.
Chilling helped mellow the soup too (just a couple of hours), but it’s a delicious soup. Our daughter Sara came to have dinner with us, and she thought it was really good too. Only 12 grams of fat in a 1-cup serving. I think I served about 2/3 cup to each of us, then topped with the minced grapes, more cucumber, some green onion, then garnished with the toasted almonds. I’ll make this again. It’s healthy and very tasty, especially for a nice outdoor dinner this summer.
White Gazpacho with Grapes and Toasted Almonds
Recipe: Adapted from Ellie Krieger (Food Network), via Tortefeasor blog
Servings: 7
2 large hothouse cucumbers — roughly chopped
3 slices white bread — crusts removed
1/2 cup warm water
2 cloves garlic
3 green onions — white part only
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice — plus more to taste
1/3 cup slivered almonds — lightly toasted, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt — plus more, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup fat free half-and-half
2 teaspoons sugar — or Splenda
GARNISH:
1/2 cup green grapes — minced
1/3 cup hothouse cucumber — minced
1 whole green onion — minced
3 tablespoons slivered almonds — lightly toasted
1. Prepare and set aside the ingredients for the garnish and chill. Leave almonds separate and at room temp.
2. Soak the bread in water until soft, about 2 minutes. Place soaked bread, cucumbers, garlic, green onions, vinegar, lemon juice, almonds, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and process until cucumbers are completely blended and liquid and almonds are almost completely invisible, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and vinegar, if desired. Add the fat free half and half and sugar. Taste for seasonings (salt particularly).
3. Chill completely.
4. To serve, ladle 1 cup gazpacho into a bowl. Mound some of the garnish in the center of the soup. Add almonds on top.
NOTES: Be careful of the wine vinegar (sherry or other white type) – you may want to reduce the amount by a tablespoon until you see how it tastes. You can always add more, but if it’s too tart, you can’t remove it! Word to the wise. You can dry toast the almonds in a nonstick skillet – takes about 3-4 minutes total. Be careful – they’ll go from toasty to black in a matter of seconds. Chill the soup for a couple of hours before serving, and keep leftovers no more than a couple of days, if possible.
Per Serving: 192 Calories; 12g Fat (55.5% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 247mg Sodium.
printer-friendly PDF recipe
A year ago: New Potato Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
Two years ago: Classic Brownies (called “Best Ever Classic Brownies”)
farida
said on June 14th, 2009:
I have had red gazpacho, but never white:) Sounds like a great idea. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
Yes, I’d really only had tomato-based gazpacho, but this was a refreshing change. My DH asked 2 days later if he could have more. Nope. All gone. . . . carolyn t
Marie
said on June 15th, 2009:
I have never been particularly fond of cold soups. Perhaps it’s time to chance that. Yours looks exceptional! (and I love the calorie count!)
This one is really good, I must say. My hubby wanted 3rds and unfortunately it was all gone. Guess I’ll have to make another batch. . . carolyn t