the best summer soup ever!

The other morning, I woke up thinking about soup. During the colder months I make homemade soup every week, and now it’s been months since I’ve made a good pot of soup.  

I kind of miss the homey-ness and ease of just ladling a hearty a bowl to sip for lunch or as part of dinner, but it’s been so darn HOT out! 

That’s when gazpacho came to mind. I’ve had gazpacho while on vacation a few times, and I can tell you, on a really hot day, this chilled soup is really refreshing! 

And guess what?! It’s the easiest thing to make! It requires no cooking, yay! You simply blend all the ingredients up and put it in the fridge to chill. That’s it!    

What’s better than the flavor of garden-fresh tomatoes and cucumbers anyways? The addition of garlic, olive oil and a few other essential ingredients really combine to form one amazing flavor!  

Fabiana's Gazpacho 

2 cups of sourdough bread, toasted, crust cut off, and cubed  

2 garlic cloves, finely grated 

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably beefsteak, seeded 

1 four-inch piece English cucumber, peeled and seeded 

1 one-inch-thick slice red bell pepper 

2 teaspoons apple cider or red-wine vinegar 

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar (optional) 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

1 cup cold water, plus more for soaking 

optional: croutons for topping 

Directions: 

Cover bread with cold water, and let soak for 15 minutes.  

Place garlic in a blender. Squeeze excess liquid from bread, and transfer bread to blender. Add 2 teaspoons salt, the tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and vinegars. Puree until smooth. With machine running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream, blending until emulsified.  

Blend in cold water. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate gazpacho until chilled, at least 3 hours (or up to 1 day). 

Divide chilled gazpacho among 6 bowls. Drizzle with oil, and top with croutons just before serving. 

This chilled soup only gets better with time. I made this on Sunday, and we finished it off on Tuesday, and it was even better on the last day!  

This recipe is also a great way to use day-old French bread. Just substitute for the sourdough, which is something I always have on hand. 

Bon appetit!

or as they say in Spain...

Buen Provecho!

ciao! fabiana

 

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magazine clippings: cottage kitchens

 

via Country Living

Like many of you, one of my favorite pastimes is flipping through magazines for inspiration and kitchen design always fascinates me.

Remember back in the day when we’d rip out pages from magazines and save them as our inspiration for future home décor ideas? 

Maybe it’s the coziness of a cottage kitchen that draws me in, but whatever the reason I have a few clippings to share with you all today.  

 

I’ve shared this first home before. The modern country cottage vibe is just so good! Designer Raili Clasen is the master at combining that updated look with a few homey pieces that bring a vintage touch to any room she decorates. 

 

via Country Living

And what about that kitchen window? It doubles as a serving area for outdoor entertaining, and during the warm months of the year, this is an amazing bonus! 

 

via Country Living

Speaking of indoor-outdoor kitchens, here’s another cutie. All details of this look point to classic Cape Cod style, which I’ve always loved. 

 

And how about the windows on these last two kitchens with outdoor access... Are you more of a “swing the windows open” kind of person or do you prefer the “slide open to the side” style?   

 

via BHG

This next kitchen may not have windows that open to the backyard, but it has tons of other beautiful elements that add up to a lot on the inspiration meter. 

 

* Open Shelving 

* Rustic Wood Beams 

* Tongue and Groove Walls 

* Copper Pots Displayed 

* Shaker Style Cabinets 

* Gooseneck Faucet 

  

 

via BHG

Bright white cabinets are a thing of beauty and adding vintage-style brass hardware takes this kitchen to another level. 

I love that under-cabinet shelf too! 

 

via Chic & Country

Those lights and those beams! The simplicity of this kitchen space, along with a few key decorative elements, makes it a winner in my book.  

 

via Chic & Country

Isn’t that gingham check tablecloth charming?  

via Country Living

This one’s got cottage charm written all over it! Every single detail just oozes vintage country style. 

 

via Country Living

And how about those open shelves with collections of so many things I love? Ironstone on the top shelf, and then all that pretty blue and red transferware elegantly displayed along with pretty canned goods and pantry staples. 

 

via Australian House & Garden

Shout it from the rooftops! This little kitchen nook just screams COZY! 

Lovely views of the garden, with easy access through the Dutch door. I’ll have what they’re having!   

ciao! fabiana 

 

 

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