Vichyssoise

The origin of "Vichyssoise" is unclear, with France and the United States both having claims on the famous soup, which is usually served cold. Even if "Vichyssoise" was invented in the United States, its ties to France would still be substantial, because the man often credited with its invention, Louis Diat, the chef at the Ritz-Carlton in New York, was born in France, not far from Vichy, the city after which he claimed to have named the soup in 1917, originally, "Crème Vichyssoise Glacée" (iced or chilled cream Vichyssoise). Diat said he used a recipe from his grandmother's potato and leek soup in France as the basis for Vichyssoise. Julia Child, the famous television cook and culinary author, although she lived and trained in France, and later popularized French cooking in her native United States, maintained that Vichyssoise was an American invention. The are many variations to Vichyssoise, although most versions are similar. This is my own version (hey, I told you there were many variations, hahaha).

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped potatoes
1 cup leeks, white parts only, cut into about 1 inch pieces
2/3 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon black or white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme (thyme can add lots of flavor, so be careful how much you use)  
1/2 teaspoon salt (if the broth has a high salt content, you can leave out the salt)
chives for garnish

Cook the potatoes, leeks and onion in water until tender. Drain the vegetables and while still warm put them into a blender or a food processor, then add the chicken broth, butter, white pepper and salt. Blend/process the soup until smooth, then add the butter, heavy cream and dried thyme, blend/process again until well mixed. The soup is intended to be rather thick, but if it is too thick for you, you can thin it with a little more cream or even milk. Sieve the soup if you want to be sure it is smooth, with no vegetable pieces. I use a sieve that allows some of the small thyme leaves into the soup. Refrigerate the soup for several hours, until it is well chilled. Snip a few pieces of fresh chives on top of each serving.    

WORD HISTORY:
Slack-This word is distantly related to "lax" and to "relish," both words of Latin derivation borrowed by English. It goes back to Indo European "sleg," which had the notion, "to be loose, or slack." This gave Old Germanic "slakas/slakaz," seemingly meaning, "be loose, be infirm, not taut;" thus also, "be weak." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) the adjective "slæc," which meant, "lazy," then also, "slow, lax," and this then became "slack." The noun was derived from the adjective in the 1300s with the general meaning of "looseness," and then also the figurative, "lull in some activity." "Slacks" was applied to loose fitting military pants (1820s?). The noun meaning "dust from coal" is not really the same word and simply came to be spelled and pronounced as "slack," to which it is unrelated, but it is related to "slag." The verb form "slacken" seems to me to be a hold over from when English used "en" endings on most infinitive verbs,^ and this verb developed from the adjective in the 1400s, but the shortened verb form "slack" was also used in the 1500s; both forms meaning, "to become loose, to become less active." The verb "slack" is now often used with "off," in "slack off," to mean, "to become less active in something." "Slack's" German relative is "schlack" (slack, loose, lazy, careless), "schlaksig" (would literally be "slacky" in English, and means "lanky"), the noun "Schlaks" (tall and lanky man), Low German had "slak," Dutch had "slac," and Swedish has "slack" (slack, floppy).  

^ Originally English, like its German cousin, used "-en" on many infinitive forms of verbs. In those times, English speakers didn't have to say "to" with a verb to indicate it was the infinitive. Later, when verb conjugations began to "streamline" in English, "to" was added to represent the former -en endings. Standard German has not changed, and that's why German infinitive verb forms commonly end in -en; as for example, "sehen" (to see), "machen" (to make or do), "hören" (to hear).      

Fruit Gazpacho

This is a fully fantastic dish for hot weather days, but it's really great anytime. While most people likely think of gazpacho as a cold vegetable soup, fruit-based gazpacho is also made, and there are a number of variations in the recipes. This is my own recipe, and before you get yourself into a frame of mind that feels that some of these ingredients will not work well together, give it a try. The natural sweetness of the fruits offsets the acidic tomato juice, while the onion and chili pepper add a little "zip" to the recipe (they both should be finely chopped). I like the "heat" of chili peppers, but please don't overdo it with chilies in this gazpacho, because the heat will overwhelm the tastes of the fruit. You can always add a little more juice, if needed, in a 2 to 1 ratio, pineapple juice to tomato juice. You need no sugar or salt in this soup, and you don't need to cook anything for it. It is easy to make, with the only time consuming part being the rinsing, peeling and chopping of some of the ingredients. This cold soup is best when given proper time to chill in the refrigerator; so a minimum of 3 or 4 hours is required, but longer is even better. Serve with a scoop of basil cream on top. And you can make the basil cream with low fat sour cream. *  

Ingredients:

1 cup tomato juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 serrano chili pepper (or jalapeño, or habanero), finely chopped
1 ripe mango, chopped
1/2 cup pineapple chunks (you can halve large chunks) 
1 cup peeled, seedless cucumber, chopped (if using regular cucumber, remove seeds)
1/2 cup blueberries, whole
1/2 cup strawberries, quartered 
juice of 1 or 2 limes (I often buy small limes, so I use 2)

Add the juices to a non reactive bowl or pot, then add the the other ingredients. Stir very well to mix. Refrigerate the fruit gazpacho for several hours, then stir well once again before serving. Top each serving with a dollop of basil cream.   

* To make basil cream, here is the link to the recipe, but for this soup, I would use sour cream or creme fraiche, but not Mexican Crema, because it is typically not as thick: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2019/06/basil-cream.html

WORD HISTORY:
Mauve-This word for "purple-like color," and "a dye of that color," is closely related to "mallow," the name of a genus of plant. Its ultimate origin is unknown, but it goes back to Latin "malva," which meant, "mallow" (plant name). This passed into Old French as "mauve," as the plant name, but by the mid 1800s a purple dye came into use which was given the name "mauve," due to its similarity in color to the flowers of the plant. The color was certainly popularized by England's Queen Victoria, who wore dresses of mauve on a couple of occasions. I've read, but can't recall where I read it, that the Queen wore a mauve dress for her daughter's wedding or at some point during the celebration of that wedding. This wedding was for her namesake daughter Victoria, who married German/Prussian Crown Prince Frederick. They became the parents of the future Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German leader during World War One. And yes, Kaiser Wilhelm II was the grandson of Britain's Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria was also the grandmother of Alix von Hessen by the Queen's daughter Alice, who died when Alix was only 6 years old. Queen Victoria then helped to raise her granddaughter, who spent much time in England with the Queen, as well as in her native Germany. Alix would become the Tsarina Alexandra of Russia by her marriage to Nicholas II, and her grandmother's influence was evident, as she had her room colored in mauve, and it was called the "Mauve room." (Very original name; how'd they they come up with that?) 

Cold Buttermilk Cucumber Soup

This is a great refreshing cold soup for the hot days of summer. The chili pepper or cayenne pepper is purely optional, but these kinds of soups often developed in the American South, where hot sauce or chilies are common additions to many foods. The extra virgin olive oil adds a wonderful finish. The shredded cucumber garnish adds a little texture, but it certainly isn't necessary, if you choose not to use it.

Ingredients (about 6 servings):

3 cups buttermilk
3 cups seedless cucumbers, peeled and chopped (or regular cucumbers, seeded)
3 inch piece peeled cucumber, shredded, for garnish
2 stalks celery 
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (or 1/2 to 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon celery salt
extra virgin olive oil for serving 
  
Add all but the shredded cucumber to a blender/food processor. Blend/process until smooth. Refrigerate for a few hours, until well chilled. Garnish each serving with some shredded cucumber and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  

WORD HISTORY:
Nebulous-This word, meaning "cloudy, hazy;" thus also, "unclear, vague," goes back to Indo European "nebhos," which meant, "mist, vapor, cloud, the heavens." This gave Latin the noun "nebula," meaning, "vapor, fog," which produced the adjective "nebulosus," meaning, "foggy, cloudy, misty." This was borrowed by English in the second half of the 1300s with the meaning, "misty, hazy, smoky." There may have been reinforcement from French "nébuleux," the French form from the Latin word "nebulosus." NOTE: The original Indo European form gave its Old Germanic offspring "nebulo," meaning, "fog, darkness." This gave Old English "nifol," meaning, "dark, gloomy." The same Germanic source gave German "Nebel" (fog, haze, smoke), Low German "Nevel" (mist), Dutch "nevel" (mist), Frisian once had "nevel" (fog, haze, mist) and Old Norse had "njola" (fog, mist, darkness) and Icelandic has (antiquated?) "nifl" (darkness). 

Spanish White Gazpacho, Ajoblanco

"Ajoblanco," literally, "white garlic," is a chilled soup from Andalusia in Spain. Andalusia is a large region in southern Spain, with its internationally best known cities "likely being" Cádiz, Córdoba and Seville. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
3 to 5 slices dried Italian bread (not the squishy kind), crusts removed, torn into pieces*
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar + 1 teaspoon sherry
15 seedless green grapes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups cold water
aioli (1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pinch of black pepper)**
sour cream, blanched almond slivers and seedless grapes (halved), for garnishing

First, make the aioli by blending the mayonnaise, the garlic the olive oil, the lemon juice and the salt and pepper; blend until smooth. Put all ingredients into a processor and process to desired consistency. Most recipes I've ever seen recommend processing until smooth, but I keep a little chunkiness to mine, but whatever you like. Chill well, serve each with a dollop of sour cream (low fat type is fine), some almond slivers and seedless green grape halves. 

* Using 3 slices will keep the soup thin, use 4 or 5 for thicker soup.

** Aioli is a type of sauce common is Spain, and also parts of southern France and northeastern Italy. Recipes vary, but in the U.S. aioli is generally a garlic flavored mayonnaise, which it is in some parts of Spain too, while in other parts it is more olive oil and garlic, with salt and perhaps some lemon juice. 

WORD HISTORY: 
Blank-This word, distantly related to "blue" and to "blitz" (a borrowing from German) and to "blanch" (a borrowing from French), goes back to Indo European "bhel(g)," which had the notion of, "to shine, to be bright." This gave Old Germanic "blankaz," which meant, "bright, white, gleam." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "blanc" (likely pronounced "blahnk), which meant, "white, gray (British spelling=grey), pale." It also gave Frankish, a Germanic dialect/language, "blank," with the same meanings. This was absorbed into Old French as "blanc/blanche," which was carried to England by the Normans as "blaunc," and this reinforced the closely related English word, or replaced it as "blank." The idea of  "white, pale" developed into "colorless," which then further developed to "empty;" thus with both meanings giving English a number of specific modern meanings noun/adjective/verb, such as, "blank space" (white, colorless space), blank bullet/shell (casing with gunpowder, but no projectile to be fired), blank (without markings or designs), to blank (in sports, to stop the opposing team from scoring goals, runs or points).

Cucumber Soup, Excellent for Warm Days

A GREAT soup for warm weather and easy to make .... The chopped radish gives it a little crunch. 

Ingredients:

2 seedless cucumbers, chopped
16 ounces plain low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions with as much of the green as possible, chopped 
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh dill
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil + more for garnish
3 or 4 radishes, chopped

Since the ingredients will be blended, they do not need some kind of uniform chopping. Blend ingredients, except for radishes, until smooth. Chill soup for several hours. Garnish each serving with some chopped radish and a drizzle of olive oil.

WORD HISTORY:
Yogurt-This word's ultimate origin is unknown, but it goes back Turkic ^ "jogurt," which had the meaning, "thickened or condensed milk." This later gave Turkish, "yoghurt," meaning, "milk fermented by addition of certain bacteria," which was borrowed into English in the early 1600s. 

 ^ Turkic is a language family just like Indo European (Indo European is the ancient ancestor of English). Linguists generally use a "family tree" setup in classifying languages, and Turkic has several branches, as does Indo European, with English belonging to the Germanic branch. Turkic also has languages in northeastern Asia. The Turkic-speaking Bulgars were a group that entered southeastern Europe, mixed with other people and became the modern Bulgarians, but a form of Slavic gradually replaced their own Bulgar language by about 1400. Bulgar is now extinct, as is Hunnic, the language of the famous Huns, which were also a Turkic speaking people. "Turkish," should not be confused with "Turkic," as "Turkish" is the language of the people of Turkey, and it is one of many "Turkic" languages.  

Avocado Soup

This is an absolutely INCREDIBLE cold soup!

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings):

4 avocados, flesh scooped out
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 or 1 jalapeño or serrano chili pepper
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons adobo seasoned salt/seasoning
1 can of smoked oysters
sour cream

Put all ingredients, except the oysters and sour cream, into a blender or processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for several hours. Serve garnished with a spoonful of sour cream (low fat type is fine), topped with a few smoked oysters.

 WORD HISTORY: 
Oyster-This word is related to the first part of "osteoporosis." It goes back to Indo European "oest," which had the notion, "hardened substance;" thus, "bone, stone." This gave Ancient Greek the transliterated "ostéon," meaning "bone," which produced "óstreon," meaning, "oyster." This was borrowed by Latin as "ostrea," which passed to Old French, a Latin-based language, as "oistre." In the meantime, Old English had "ostre," borrowed from Latin "ostrea." The Normans brought the French form to England, which reinforced, but by the 1300s, altered the English form to "oyster."

Borscht

"Borscht" is a common eastern European soup, likely of Ukrainian origin, most often made in modern times from beets, although there are types without beets. Originally a particular type of parsnip was the main ingredient of the soup that developed into the varied modern recipes. Many Ashkenazi Jews lived in eastern Europe, and when Jewish immigration from the old Russian Empire to the United States increased significantly in the latter part of the 1800s and early 1900s, they brought both the word and the soup to this country. In those times, both modern Ukraine and much of Poland were part of the Russian Empire. In that time period, and especially after World War One, further immigration from (the) Ukraine and (the then) eastern region of Poland, spread the use of the soup in the United States. How likely Americans are to encounter "Borscht" on a menu will certainly depend upon where you live. I'm sure it is much more commonly seen in New York City and vicinity. Here in Cleveland I used to see it at restaurants in the city's northeast neighborhood of Collinwood, as many Lithuanians, and their descendants, live there. Also, the same was true in the city's near West Side neighborhood of Tremont, where there were many people of Ukrainian and Russian descent. And back on the East Side, I would certainly think it is common at places in the general vicinity of University Heights and Beachwood, as there are many people of Jewish background in that area, including many who immigrated to Cleveland from Russia after the fall of the Communist regime. I'm sure the same would be true in other places across the country where there are fair concentrations of people from these various backgrounds. This recipe, my own version, is based upon one from, "The Best of Russian Cooking," by Alexandra Kropotkin, published by Hippocrene Books, 2002. (The original edition was published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1964). I've made this simple by using both canned beef consommé and canned beets.

Ingredients:

2 cans/jars beets (14 to 15 ounces each, not pickled), with 3/4 cup of their liquid
2 cans beef consommé (10.5 ounces each)
2 1/2 cans water (use a can from the consommé)
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
1 teaspoon salt (you can omit the salt, as the consommé and beet juice have salt)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh or dried dill

Put the consommé, water, onion and carrot into a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the vegetables from the broth, then add the beet juice, the vinegar, the Worcestershire sauce and the salt and pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook just 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the beets, which should be cut into somewhat smaller pieces, stir to mix in. I used canned sliced beets, and I halved the smaller slices and cut the larger slices into 3 or 4 pieces. The hot liquid will heat the beets (canned beets are already cooked). Let the soup cool, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a nice dollop of sour cream and sprinkle on some dill. You can eat the soup hot, too, by stirring in the sour cream after the soup has cooled a bit, or stir it in with each serving.      

WORD HISTORY: 
Cream-The ultimate origins of this word are unclear. It goes back to two separate, but similar, sources: Greek "khrisma," which meant, "ointment, oily healing substance." This was borrowed by Latin as "chrisma," with the same meaning. This gave the same word the additional "church Latin" meaning, "oil for anointing," which then contributed to Old French, a Latin-based language, "cresme," which meant, "oil for anointing, ointment." The French word also seems to have been partially derived from Latin, "cramum," which meant, "cream," "seemingly" from Gaulish, a Celtic language, "crama," which also meant "cream," from an original meaning of "skin, layer;" thus later, "cream," the layer at the top of milk (the saying is appropriate: "the cream rises to the top"). English borrowed the word from French in the 1300s as "creyme," although it took time to displace the native English word "ream," the original English word for "cream." ^ Notice too, the word carries both the meaning, "fatty thickened liquid of milk," and, "oily healing substance, salve, ointment." The verb form was derived from the noun and still means "to beat milk or cream into a thickened state," and thus also, "to completely defeat an opponent or enemy," a meaning which seems to have come from the American branch of English. 

^ For the history of the word "ream," use this link and see the "Word History" there: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/04/schnitzel-with-creamy-mushroom-gravy.html

Tomato-Vegetable Soup

This nutritious soup can be served hot or cold. 

Ingredients (6 to 8 servings):

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium potato, cut into small chunks
1 medium sweet potato, cut into small chunks
1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes w/juice
5 to 6 cups vegetable broth
1  6 ounce can tomato paste
2 1/2 cups kale
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a heavy duty pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring until the onion is basically softened (do not let the onion/garlic brown).  Add the tomatoes, both types of potatoes, vegetable broth and tomato paste. Stir well. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are tender. Add the kale, salt and pepper, and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, making sure the kale is well mixed into the soup. Serve hot, or let cool, then chill before serving. NOTE: If the soup is too thick for your preference, add some tomato juice or just water.

WORD HISTORY:
Kettle-The origins of this word are unclear, but it goes back to Old Germanic "katilaz" ("kettle, vessel that holds liquids, especially water"), but where Old Germanic got the word is very much in question. It could be a borrowing long ago from Latin, as that language had "catillus" ("small dish") a diminutive word derived from "catinus," which meant, "bowl, dish, pot." But as with the Old Germanic word, where Latin got their word is also unclear. Modern Greek has "chýtra," which also means "kettle, pot," so it is possible that there were varied forms derived from a common Indo European word or root. Anyway, the Old Germanic form gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "citel/cytel," which meant "kettle." This then became "ketel," in some English dialects, with the change in initial consonant a likely influence from Old Norse (another Germanic language) "ketill," also meaning "kettle." Other English dialects spelled it "chetel," but in the end both forms became modern "kettle." Other Germanic languages have: German "Kessel," ^ Low German Saxon "kätel," Dutch "ketel," West Frisian "tsjettel," ^^ Danish "kedel," Icelandic "ketill," Swedish "kittel," all meaning "kettle," and Norgwegian "kjele," meaning "boiler" (a vat/vessel for heating and storing water).

^ As I've noted at times before, the high Germanic dialects underwent a sound shift, where often "t" or double "t" became and "s" or double "s." English, Low German and Frisian, all close relatives of German, did not undergo this same sound shift.

^^ The "tsj" of the West Frisian word is pronounced similarly to the English "ch" of "cheese, Charles;" which puts it very close in pronunciation to the one previous English dialect form of "chetel."       

Gazpacho And Summer

For those unfamiliar with Gazpacho, it is a cold Spanish soup, especially associated with the southern Spanish province of Andalusia, but with versions served throughout Spain and Portugal. Understand, there are some big variations from region to region, one of the variations being the addition of herbs in some recipes, and some where the soup is served with no vegetable chunks, but rather totally smooth. It is a natural soup for hot summer weather, and it is low in calories, but packed with all sorts of nutrients from the vegetables. This is my own recipe, but "based" upon the Andalusian type.

Ingredients:
1 lb. grape tomatoes or Roma tomatoes (halve the grape tomatoes, or coarsely chop the Roma tomatoes)
1 46 or 48 oz. can tomato or vegetable juice (I use vegetable juice)
1 medium onion (half for food processor, half coarsely chopped)
1 medium cucumber (half for processor, half coarsely chopped)
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper (half for food processor, half coarsely chopped)
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped for food processor
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons vinegar
bread torn or cut into bite-sized chunks and/or Panko breadcrumbs, to thickness preference
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
if you like some heat, add a finely chopped hot chili pepper, like jalapeno or serrano
garnish with chopped hard-boiled egg

Put a little of the juice into a food processor. Add half of the onion, half of the cucumber, and half of the bell pepper, plus all of the garlic and the olive oil, pulse until smooth, adding more juice a little at a time. Transfer to whatever serving bowl or pan you will use. Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, vinegar, red wine, bread chunks/breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, stir to mix well. What I do is stir in the red wine and bread chunks to individual servings, rather than add it to the overall soup, then I also use a small amount of breadcrumbs, which I sprinkle on top of each serving. If you are not going to serve all of the soup at one time, remember, the bread will get mushy and thicken the soup the longer it sits, that's why I add it to the individual servings. You can also garnish each serving with some chopped egg.

With the red wine, but without the bread yet added

With the bread and some breadcrumbs I sprinkled on top.

WORD HISTORY:
Cold-This common word, related to "cool," and somewhat more distantly related to "gel," goes back to Indo European "gel/gol," which carried the notion, "to be cold, to feeze, to solidify from cold." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "kaldaz," meaning "cold." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "cald/ceald," depending upon dialect, but with the same meaning.^ These later became "cold," and that form has lasted for many centuries into the present. The noun was derived from the adjective in the 12th Century, and it came to be applied to the illness in the 1500s. The other Germanic languages have (adjective forms): German "kalt," Low German Saxon "koolt," West Frisian "kâld," Dutch "koude" (no mistake, no "L"), Danish "kold," Icelandic "kaldur," Norwegian "kald," Swedish "kall."

^ Some speculate that the old forms of "cold" were really participle forms of an Old Germanic verb, then used as an adjective, and that's not an unreasonable possibility.