Yeah, can I just say something here?

What’s up with COLD SOUPS? I just don’t get the concept. If you are a cold soup lover, please, by all means enlighten me. I am not a fan.

I have had two cold soups in my life that I am aware of and this is enough for me to call it quits.

Both “cold soups” were good, but did not belong. It was not a soup I wanted to gobble down as I would a chicken noodle or Borcht (one of my Russian favorites), it was more of a yogurt dipping sauce for falafel or chips.

(click her for my fav Borcht recipe)

Therefore, cold soups are not soups, they are dips and sauces that you should eat with other thing and not just by themselves in a big soup bowl.

Soups are hot and cozy. Ah, let’s look up a definition…
SOUP:
pronunciation [soop]
–noun
1.
a liquid food made by boiling or simmering meat, fish, or vegetables with various added ingredients.

And from a culinary dictionary...

Yes, yes, they mention cold soups, I know. But I even like fruit soups hot. I had them as a kid. Now that I think of it, My mom made them a lot and they were really good. But, not cold, isn’t that like a fruit compote that you serve with granola and yogurt?

Anyway. I love “cold soups” let’s just not call them cold soups.

Ignorance is Bliss and I don't want to know all the technical terms and why cold soups exist. This is another one of my food conclusions.

THE END(of my rant)

10 comments:

Yogihan said...

Hello Ivy!
Hmmm, I've also always wondered about cold soups. Like you said, they don't feel like soup as such. I have a recipe for a cold tomatoe soup, but to me, even the idea of it sounds more like a flavoured tomato juice for a cocktail than a soup!
Great post :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Ivy

It's the wrong time of year :) The only time cold soup is good is on a blazing hot summer day, eaten outdoors. Then a spicy, chilled gazpacho with a couple of ice cubes in it (or even a scoop of tomato sorbet) is perfect. I also make a great courgette (er, zucchini) and cheese soup which is good both hot and cold.

I think your friend also made the mistake of not really thinking about how it fitted with the rest of the menu.

Rules about cold soups:

- they have to be *cold*. Not room temperature.
- they have to be well-seasoned, not bland and boring.
- they must be attractively presented and garnished, for example tiny dice of pepper and cucumber and miniature croutons for gazpacho.

Ivy said...

Thank you Veronica. The Tomato sorbet sounds totally awesome. Do you have a recipe?

Anonymous said...

Hi Ivy

er, no. There is a fantastic artisan ice cream maker near us (supplies Michelin-starred restaurants) and we buy from there! It's so good I rarely get my sorbetiere out.

L.A.'s Best Dining Bites & Deals said...

I totally agree, hot soups all the way!

cindy* said...

i like gazpacho, but i do feel like i am eating salsa whenever i have it...not soup. :)

Bunny said...

I've never had cold soup, maybe it would be better in hot weather although I don't think I'd really care for it then either! LOL

Stephany Benbow said...

I've never tried one, and honestly the thought just perturbs me. I'm sure there are plenty of tasty cold soups, but my mouth reacts like I've suggested eating live wriggling squid. It just seems wrong.

Anonymous said...

I hate cold soup toooooo.
Ivy is the BEST cook in Los Angeles.

Lisa said...

I love a good rant! :-) I think I pretty much agree with you. I do make gazpacho and I like it, though I have to admit that I don't really like it too cold and I like it better on a really hot day when it might be considered refreshing. Also, gazpacho is, as you say, sort of a dip where you put all of those toppings and croutons into the soup and then dip them out with a spoon. So, I don't know. I'd have to say I prefer my soup hot too!