Chilled Cucumber Soup

How refreshing does this look?

Summer is upon us.  Just as we switch out our clothes from winter to summer, so too can we change our recipe repertoires to augment the changes in the season.

Move over slow-cooked stews, hearty chillis, and dense casseroles, and say hello to lighter dishes evoking fresh, tangy flavors to compliment the summer breeze!

When most people think of a “summer” dish, soup probably doesn’t immediately come to mind. Summer warrants cool and refreshing, not hot and comforting.

That’s why I adore experimenting with chilled soups. They’re the most refreshing appetizer to any summer meal and they’re beyond simple to make.

My mom was known for her Chilled Cucumber Soup.  It always perked eye brows and taste buds whenever it was served.  She usually whipped up a fresh batch before we went over someone’s house for dinner.  The Cusinart would be humming as the cucumbers and yogurt and buttermilk were mixing.  After her pinky finger taste tests, when she was satisfied with the taste and consistency of the mixture, she’d pop the finished product in her large round Tupperware container for a few hours to chill and set in the fridge.

Then, off to the neighbors we’d go.  No bowl of Judy’s Cucumber Soup would be complete without her generous dollop of fresh sour cream to help pollinate all of the different flavors.

Try if for yourself.