One of the best things about the summer is the fresh fruits and vegetables that you can get a) from the local farmer's market, b) straight off the vine, or c) sometimes, occasionally, usually with some type of apprehension 
that it just isn't going to be fresh no matter if the farm is just across the parking lot, from the local supermarket. Mini-rant here: How do the supermarkets manage to make fresh fruits and vegetables almost completely and totally unattractive from a a local farm right down the road? Or, why is someone trying to convince me that a farm 162 miles from this location is local? It isn't so stop lying to me. Rant off.
Ok, so if you grow your own veggies, you know that for whatever reason, they all seem to come in at once. Great I've got fresh tomatos! Drat, I've got a bucket full and I don't know what to do with them. Dude, look at all these cucumbers! Blagga frag it, I don't know what to do with them either! Well, I suggest that you calm youself with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc because I've got a solution, a nice cold soup. And my favorite cold soup of the summer is gazpacho.
Gazpacho originated in Andalusia which is an area on the coast of southern Spain. This dish dates back centuries and traditionally it is made with a base of bread, garlic, oil, vinegar and salt. Tomato were added during the time of Columbus to make the red variety but there are white and green varieties still found. Things have changed rather significantly since those times and what we think of as gazpacho is somewhat different from the historical variety. Still, it is a quite refreshing summer meal that can be quickly prepared and that uses many of those fresh veggies that you're still trying to figure out what to do with. My version has a decidely American twist though, I add some freshly cooked corn to add a bit of sweetness to it.
Gazpacho
4 cups tomato juice
2 large diced tomatos
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 diced cucumber
1 minced green pepper
1 small minced onion
2 scallions chopped
2 ears of corn
1 clove of garlic, minced finely
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp basil
dash of ground cumin
dash of Tabasco
salt & black pepper to taste
To prepare the corn: bring a pot of water to a boil. Husk and clean the corn. Place the corn in the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and let cool. With a sharp knife, cut the kernals from the cob.
To prepare the onion and pepper: Cut the onion and the pepper into small pieces and place in a food processor. Process until extremely fine and juicy.
To prepare the tomatos and cucumber: Dice into 1/4 inch cubes.
Combine all the ingredients in a large, non-metal container (note: the acids in the tomatos can react with a metal container, ceramic or plastic is best). Chill for 2 hours before serving. Serve with grilled garlic toasts.
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