The Feathered Nest

My beloved husband went off on a Boy’s Adventure Weekend. This left me with the entire house and kitchen to myself. When this happens, I become a bit like a mad scientist left alone in my laboratory. So, it was just me, the cats, and that most dangerous invention, Food Network. After some house work, chick flicks, and visiting with my parents, I spent an hour putting away laundry and watching Emeril. He made a great looking cold cucumber soup and I just had to try it. It’s been over 90 degrees and very humid in New England, something we are not used to, and this dish seemed like the perfect antidote to the sweltering heat.

I woke up on Sunday and went off to my local market and raided the produce section. I had decided that a nice salad nicoise would be the perfect accompaniment to this dish. I also picked up a bottle of my current favorite cheap wine, the pinot grigio produced by Twin Fin (available from Wine.com). I headed home and got cooking. My plan was to have a lovely late lunch waiting for my husband when he returned from his manly outing. I find its important to remind him of the comforts of home.

The soup was a blast to make because it required no cooking. It gave me the opportunity to spend some quality time with my beloved food processor. I altered the recipe a bit by using only one jalepeno, I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy foods. The final product was lovely, cool and refreshing. I think that next time I make it I’d like to add a citrusy note, maybe lime juice, I think it would give it a little something extra.

To make the presentation special, and because I am big geek who loves to make things look pretty, I decided to serve the soup in a couple of our martini glasses. I garnished with chives from my garden and snipped a couple of the chive blossoms as well. When my husband returned home, all sweaty and smelly, I first sent him to the shower. Then, we settled down to this perfect summer lunch and laughs about his camping misadventures. Then I sat and sipped my wine and watched him clean up the kitchen, a perfect Sunday afternoon.