Americans tend to think of soup as a dish served piping hot. Cold soups are often relegated to the “fruit soup” category. If we are going to drink a vegetable, it is a juice (think tomato) or a cocktail (think Bloody Mary)! But there are any number of vegetable soups that are served at room temperature, or chilled. Gazpacho, originating in Seville, Spain, is sometimes served as a soup, but is also sipped from a cold (non-metalic) tumbler — perfect for hot summer days.
The base is tomatoes, with good olive oil being a second key ingredient, and using other produce in season at the same time as tomatoes. I like the one shared by a native of Seville, via my brother. But the recipe is easily adaptable and you may vary the ingredients based on what is available from your market vendors (for example, cucumbers or different kinds of tomatoes or peppers or a special bread)!
In a blender, combine three-fourths of a quart of ripe tomatoes, good olive oil (a “glug”), one clove garlic, a sprig of basil, one-fourth small onion, one-fourth poblano or green pepper, pinch chili pepper, a hunk of good bread (french, sourdough, etc.) soaked in water and then rung out, heavy pinch of sea salt, pepper. Blend until very smooth, and then pour through wire sieve, stirring with wooden spoon to push through the juice/sauce. Bring up the flavor by adding one to three tablespoons of white vinegar. Add one to two cups of water and salt to taste.
If you are not likely to make gazpacho, walk up and down the Fayette County Farm Market aisles and pick up any vegetables you like. Most can be combined into a hot vegetable soup (try tomatoes, corn, bean, peppers, garlic, onions, potatoes, summer squash and okra) with or without meat or meat broth. These vegetables cooked in their own juices with herbs and pepper to taste make an outstanding soup, to be combined with market bread and sweets.
The Market is open every Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon and is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets. SNAP EBT food benefit cards, Senior Farm Market coupons and credit/debit cards are accepted—stop by the FM “Info and Children’s Booth” (beside the Sunshine Cleaners) for assistance. Those using the SNAP EBT card for produce receive matching dollar VeggieSNAP tokens ($1 for $1) for additional fruits and vegetables. So,”buy one, get one” for fruit and vegetables, up to $10 EVERY market day.
The following list contains the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up for the Saturday Market. Other vendors may participate as well.
Keypoint Farm (Nevin Stauffer & family): Seasonal produce.
King Farms (Jeff and Sandi King): Green beans, tomatoes (red and orange), red and Yukon potatoes.
Persinger Produce & Cottage Food (David Persinger and Julie Mosny): Pies, cinni mini’s, cinnamon rolls. Home made jams and jellies.
This and That (Mary Ford): Garden and home crafts (summer goose dresses, coasters, mug rugs, aprons, OSU items, jewelry), baked goods (apple butter bread, PB fudge).
Wood by DW (Debbie Welch): Wood primitives and sewn kitchen crafts.
Your Other Mother’s Kitchen (Don and Sara Creamer): Artisan breads, whole wheat brownie tarts, and bran muffin tops.
B.Y.E Gardens (Brian and Elaine Yoder): Winter squash (acorn, spaghetti and butternut), zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, sunflowers, cinnamon rolls, lemon cookies, peanut butter cookies.
By Thy Hand (Mark and Lori Chrisman): Angel food cakes, pies, assorted breads, snickerdoodles, seasoning and dip mixes, recycled pallet crates and boxes.
Chilcote Farms (Bruce and Marlene Chilcote): Honey , blackberry cobbler, sheet cake and cookies.
Dale’s Crafts (Dale Butler): rustic benches, red, white, & blue benches, swinging chair, Uncle Sam, serving trays, outdoor games (washer toss, corn hole bags and boards, yard yahtzee), Adirondack chair.
Engedi (Beth Day, Alana Walters, Janet Bick): Assorted home baked goods (cinnamon rolls, bread, yeast rolls, cookies, pies, brownies, cobblers, whoopie pies,small specialty bread), Icees, and a children’s activity.
Forgotten Way Farms (Cathy Ludi): DoTERRA essential oils, homemade soap, laundry detergent concentrate, bath salts and bombs, balms, wooded decor, and homemade organic vanilla extract.
Gerhardts (Kevin Gerhardt): BIG load of red, yellow, orange seedless WATERMELON and red seeded watermelon as well as white sweet corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Season fresh produce including garlic, Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes and pickling cukes, and fresh dried herbs (sage, basil, sacred basil, lemon verbena). Baklava (walnut and honey pastry), and “Better than Good” buckeyes. Small pie pumpkins and white “pumpkin” gourds.
Jones Farm Fresh Produce (Jon & Taylor Jones): Sweet corn, green beans, red potatoes, tomatoes ( cherry, slicing), peppers ( green bell and habanero), okra, zucchini, yellow squash, sausage patties, sweet Italian links and jalapeño links.
Katrina Bush is a vendor with the Fayette County Farm Market.
