Witamy! It's a hot summer this year and
our local farmers’ market is overflowing with delicious fruit. And the shelves in our local grocery stores
are displaying huge varieties of summer fruit - just ripe and ready to be
loved. This is the time of year for
chilled summer fruit soups – a unique and original element of Polish
cuisine. blueberry soup image courtesy of "przyslijprzeps.pl
We serve them on hot summer days for lunch, as in-between refreshers, or
even a light supper. They are refreshing, full of flavor, and always enjoyed by
everyone in the family, regardless of age. These fruit soups are not too sweet and Poles eat
them as a first course for supper or as a heartier main course with
noodles. Sometimes they are served after
the main course, as a healthier replacement for dessert.
Chilled
Blueberry Soup
Serves
6
1 quart blueberries
1 slice white bread
4 cups water
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
Croutons
Add the blueberries and bread
to one cup of boiling water. Bring back to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in a blender for just a few seconds until
smooth. Add remaining 3 cups of boiling
water, spices and sugar, blend well until smooth. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Just before serving, add sour cream to the
soup tureen and mix. Garnish each
serving with croutons.
Chilled
Strawberry Soup
Serves
6
1 quart ripe strawberries,
washed and hulled
1 quart buttermilk
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
Using a blender, mix the
strawberries and 1 cup of the buttermilk for a few seconds until smooth. Add the sugar and remaining buttermilk and
mix well. Chill thoroughly. Serve with home-made buttery croutons.
For
two delicious varieties, substitute 3 pints of pitted Italian plums or 3
pints of pitted cherries, and increase the sour cream a bit to 2/3 cup.
Smacznego!