Thursday, May 14, 2009

Seattle and Strawberry Soup

Well it's been something like 7 months since I was there, so I guess it's time to share some Seattle photos with you.








It was torture to be somewhere so fun with such wonderful foods and not being able to buy all the stuff that just looked so good. But it was very very fun to walk around and look at all the vendors and their ware and people watch. Knowing there was a weight limit on my suitcase when I flew back to Canada I wisely but sadly stayed away from all the book shops and kitchen stores.

 Pike Place Chowder.

Pictured is the clam chowder (voted Nations Best!) and the crab roll, and the vegan chowder and the curried chicken roll. It was all fabulous, but the vegan chowder rocked.


So what does this have to do with Strawberry Soup? On the ship I had my first ever fruit soup - blueberry. It was wonderfully light and refreshing. My parents had gone on a cruise earlier last year and were now huge fans of fruit soups themselves. We had my parents over for Mother's Day brunch last weekend, and for my Dad (and the rest of us) I made Strawberry Soup.

This soup is ridiculously easy to make, fast, pretty and elegant. I made this with Costco strawberries, part of the 123456789 Mile Diet. I am looking forward to varying this in the summer with fresh sweet BC fruit.

Chilled Strawberry Soup
Simply in Season
Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

serves 6

1 cup apple juice
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. (Or microwave in a glass bowl until boiling.) Remove from heat. Cool. I cool the syrup in a bowl placed in a larger bowl of ice - very fast.

3 cups strawberries
1/4 cup water

Puree until smooth in a blender. Pour into a large bowl. I leave in the blender and finish the soup in the blender.

2 cups plain yogurt (low or nonfat is good)
1 tsp vanilla
2 drops red food coloring (I do not use)

Add to pureed strawberries with apple juice mixture. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Garnish with additional strawberry halves (optional). The soup freezes well and is especially good with small ice crystals left in.

13 comments:

foodiechickie said...

OMG I love love Seattle. Wish there were publishing jobs there I would move there in an instant.

We ate at Pike Place Chowder. So good!

Finla said...

Wow wish i could visit seattle once, well i can dream.
Lov ethe soup, looks so yummy.

Cindy Khor said...

wow, strawberry soup, 1st time i'd ever heard of it. and the soup looks lovely.

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Pike's Place Market is awesome!
Next time we're there we'll have to try the chowder. We've walked by it so many times.

But your strawberry soup is awesome too!

Lien said...

What a great place! I can imagine how hard it must have been just looking and not buying! Wow that pasta picture... never saw flavors like that in my life, amazing. Just look at all those other goodies, love markets like this!
Never heard of strawberrysoup before, but it sure sounds and looks delicious!

Astrid said...

I have to try this strawberry soup it sounds so wonderful and we all love strawberries here. Especially the little one!

NKP said...

I am so jealous! I want to go there so bad, looks wonderful!
You are so strong, staying out of the kitchen stores, I wouldn't be that strong. :)

Lis said...

Now that sounds delish! Light and fruity.. *slurp*

Do you eat with a spoon? Sip from cup? Use a straw? What do you serve with it? Is it an appetizer or a dessert?

I'd like these questions answered and will check back, but even if you didn't I'm going to make this.. I've been extremely addicted to everything strawberry lately!

Love you!
xoxoxoxoxox

Sara said...

I served mine in teacups so we could sip it, but on the ship it was served in a bowl with a spoon. I drank the leftovers at work the next morning from a cup. I didn't serve anything with it, but a sweet bread or a cookie would be a good garnish. I served it as dessert, on the ship it was the second course.
XO!

Anonymous said...

Your strawberry soup looks fake, it matches the color of the plate and cup. Any one knows that adding yogurt to the strawberry gives it a creamier look, unlike your red food coloring. Down here in California our strawberries don't need food coloring, a touch of lemon juice will keep the color. Thanks anyways, but I'll stick to my own recipe. JeWong

Sara said...

If you actually read the post you would see that I did not use the food coloring. My soup is not fake - how do you fake soup? - and I put it in that cup BECAUSE it matched. Up here in Canada we have manners. Don't come back, thanks.

Deborah said...

Seattle is one of my favorite places - I'm so jealous of your vacation! And I'm a fan of fruit soups - I'd take a bowl of this any day!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Rats - how did I not know you were in Seattle? I could have met you at Pike Place with a dozen cookies. Your soup is beautiful (not fake at all) and I'm sure wonderfully delicious.