Gazpacho Andaluz

“It’s tomato soup served ice cold!” – Lisa Simpson.(Lisa the Vegetarian. The Simpsons season 7.05)

Just this one scene from The Simpsons caught my interest as a child as to what gazpacho was. Representations of food in the media have the symbolic ability to engage with cultural themes (Shugart, 2008). In this episode, the theme was Lisa finding her identity through her food choices, vegetarianism.

Gazpacho is a popular cold soup made of a variety of raw vegetables such as tomatoes, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, stale bread, olive oil, vinegar and water. Pounded in a mortar and strained until a liquid consistency is achieved, gazpacho is the trademark dish of the Andalusia region of Spain, typically served in summer due to its refreshing nature as a cold soup and when tomatoes grown in the area are at their best.

Gazpacho was a simple and healthy dish for peasants and shepherds in many regions of Southern Spain. As workers were given rations of bread and oil, incorporated with the local produce and new foods brought back from the New World in the 15^th century such as tomatoes and peppers, it made a dish that provided nourishment and quenched the thirst while working in the Andalusian fields. Others claim its origins derived from an Arab soup of oil, bread and water. Garlic and vinegar was later added with the arrival of the Moors and Romans. 

Gazpacho Andaluz with tomatoes, onion, garlic, cucumber, pepper and bread. 

The texture and ingredients of gazpacho vary from within regions depending on local produce and family traditions. Consumption outside of Andalusia does not always take a liquid form, contain tomatoes nor is it always cold. Gazpacho manchego from the east region of La Mancha is served hot as a meat stew rather than a cold vegetable soup. 

Gazpacho Manchego. Hot and meaty. 

Modern variations sometimes include the addition and fusion of ingredients that deviate from its traditional recipe. i.e. tomato juice, tomato sauce, yoghurt and salsa. What used to be a peasant dish can now be found on the menus of many sophisticated restaurants today. \

So the next time the weather gets hot, forget that cold soft drink and go for this healthier alternative. A popular Spanish refrain sings "De gazpacho no hay empacho"- there's never too much gazpacho. 

Photo and information sources used:

Shugart, H. A. (2008). Sumptuous texts: Consuming “otherness” in the food film genre. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 25(1), 68-90.

Links:

Photo taken from here

Food History: Did you know Gazpacho

History of Gazpacho 
Gazpacho Manchego