Too many peaches? Is there such a thing? I didn’t think so, but eyes widened larger than hands could make. Over a month, we swung by and picked up a couple flats from a favorite peach farm.

We give, gather, eat, bake, then towards the end a handful of peaches got gushy.

What to do?

Well there’s nothing like a paddle on a hot day, then opening the fridge to a chilly bowl of Peach Basil Soup including:

✱ Fresh peaches

✱ Carrots

✱ Greek yogurt

✱ A touch of half & half

✱ Squeezes of lime

✱ Basil

✱ And ground clove

The forecast shows full suns with a rise in degrees. Is yours the same? If so, let this crisp soup lower your temperature.

Are you into chilled soups? Until 2014, fruit was tops, next to vegetables, animals, music and insects, but fruit + soup + cold didn’t compute.

Being fair to soup, ’14 was a strange time and food fell into the haze.

To our daughter, food and books were life. From baby, if you placed any kind of food in front, she devoured. Spicy shrimp, sushi, ginger, garlic (including whole cooked or raw cloves), Thai, Turkish, Portuguese, no matter the cuisine — it was on. She and mom made the perfect pair, mom loves feeding and Avi loved to eat. When spending nights, we swore Avi was three to five pounds higher once home from Nana and Papa’s. A bitty part of the 3 Musketeering.

Car met child and coma, surgeries and a feeding tube replaced food. A couple months later, we spent her third birthday in the hospital. I couldn’t stomach the idea of family, friends, and her friends eating while little eyes watched from her hospital crib, so Dave and I agreed, no food.

We worked round the clock 365 on therapy, part was getting her feeding tube out! Years in, we succeeded. But a success, never. From the day hit, she struggled/despised the feeding process. And when seeing this child, who once lit from tiny toe up — sick, vomiting, holding, spiting and wailing over food that took upwards of two hours to feed — you grow to struggle and despise food too. From morning, lunch, to nighttime dinner — bites break in indescribable ways.

Aviana died October, 2013. Mom called months later saying, “Gary and I want to take you and Dave to Alaska with Roger and Rella.” A chain, as Roger invited her and she invited us, each wanting a reaction of good for the core six together. Six who cared most for Aviana during those 4 1/2 years, traveling cross country for therapy, sitting by during and after thirteen plus surgeries, laughing at the most inappropriate stuff and times, researching and pouring over a tiny child we would trade places with, etc. Actually being able to go away together and for leisure. Bittersweet and we grab every chance.

How did a short blurb about cold soup morph into unloaded on (I’m unsure, tell me about you ; ) my mom who I’ve now made cry (on a Saturday!), my old (as in former) neighbor Zuve, and my friend Dixie, who I met because of Avi.

Well I’m in and going the distance. Food wise, I’d sit, chat, and pretty much watch my family eat. But one night, they caught my attention when raving about their Chilled Raspberry Soup, pushing me to take a bite, I did and six years later, still dream about that very soup. We tried like hyenas after prey in getting the recipe, but no.

Long story longer, fruit + soup = compute metamorphic.

That trip was transformational by way of cold soup and muesli.

For the many times you give life, thank you Mom.

Why Chilled Soup?

Refreshing

Easy to make

Uplift by the spoon

Naturally sweet

Vegetables and fruit in one bowl

 Soup For You!

1.) Peel, slice and boil carrots in water.

2.) Make a peach puree by blending peaches.

3.) Blend carrots and remaining ingredients.

4.) Chill soup for an hour.

5.) Eat

Peaches

Fresh, frozen or canned can be used to make puree.

If using fresh, do you want to blanch or peel?

Blanching

Have a large bowl of ice water ready and waiting.

Heat a pot of water to just below boiling.

Dunk peaches in water for no more than one minute.

Remove with a slotted spoon.

Plunge into ice water.

Let cool thoroughly.

Peel.

Blanching works with most heirloom varieties but is spotty with more recent developed peaches.

Peach, you’re cute but finicky. That’s okay. I’ll take you anyway.

Peeling

Grab a good paring knife.

Make a slit towards the top.

Slide the knife barely under the skin’s surface.

Repeat and remove.

Peach, cute and easy.

Interchange of Ingredients

Sour cream for yogurt

Mint, thyme or tarragon for basil

Orange juice to or for lime

Allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger for clove

Or add depth of flavor by way of honey or a splash of vanilla

If you like this peach recipe, maybe you’ll like:

Peach Pesto Crostini

Fresh Peach Pie

Blackberry Peach Cream Cheese Pie