[Sca-cooks] Gazpacho

[Stefan li Rous]

> I know of it and have made it frequently...though I never thought to serve it
> with sour cream!  However, I really doubt that it is period, though there may
> be a period soup that is similar.  I say this because the recipe I have calls
> for a period method of thickening the soup...using bread crumbs.  Do any of our
> Spanish experts know of anything like this?
>
> Kiri
>
> Jane Sitton wrote:
> > Gazpacho would be great, especially with a dollop of sour cream on top, but
> > I doubt it's period -- tomatoes and all, you know.  Does anyone know if it
> > is?
> >
> > Madelina

Not all Gazpacho recipes involve tomatoes. We discussed this a little
in 1999 and a bit in 2000. I've saved a few messages, but it hasn't
been put in the Florilegium. Unfortunately, none of what I currently
have gives definiative proof of whether it is period or not.

If anyone wants those messages, let me know. In the meantime, I've
pasted the latest, as I think it summerizes most of what the others
had to say, below.

--
THLord  Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas         stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****

> Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 00:30:06 -0800
> From: lilinah at earthlink.net
> Subject: Re: SC - Gazpacho?
>
> THLord  Stefan li Rous wrote:
> >I remember us discussion Gazpacho on this list previously. But I don't
> >remember anyone saying just what type of food item this "Gazpacho" is.
> >I've saved some of the previous discussion, but I've not decided what
> >the food is and thus don't know where to put the information. So, if
> >someone could describe what this Gazpach is and how it differs from
> >similar food, I'd appreciate it.
>
> I think that by modern American standards, it would be considered a soup.
>
> It usually has bread soaked in vinegar and olive oil and mashed up
> with garlic and salt to form a thick unctuous liquid, into which is
> stirred chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumber.
>
> I asked because there is a "white" gazpacho, without the tomatoes and
> bell pepper, and food myths say this is the original and that it is
> Moroccan or at least Moorish in origin, with the name in Spanish
> deriving from the Arabic for "torn bread". I don't know if this is
> true, however, hence my question.
>
> Anahita al-shazhiyya