Chilled Avocado + Arugula Soup

Two avocados sat in a concrete bowl on the marble counter on their way out, supple amidst the stones. I was home alone, and the whole day had passed with hardly a moment to spare. The sun was still up but on its way out too. My husband would be home soon. The avocados, they wouldn’t survive another day. By morning rot would settle in but right then, right then they were perfect. Most perfect right before they spoiled. Seems like it must be a metaphor for something or other. Forget it. The emails and external hard drives could wait. I needed to make soup. Cold soup because summer doesn’t care that it’s September.

I put everything down and started pulling ingredients out. A bag of arugula from the farmer’s market also begged to be saved, so why not that too. And mint. I enjoy mint in savory, so mint. Lemon. Some frothy whipped honey that I love. And oh! there’s some pretty pink rhubarb salt laying around. The heaviest of heavy creams, thick like butter. Cold spring water. A glug of Portuguese olive oil. Tamari roasted pepitas, the last handful of them, languishing in a plastic bag. Those too. A tablespoon or so of goat cheese left in the bottom of the container. The last few corners of a loaf of whole wheat sourdough. Yes, yes. Ok. Soup for dinner. My husband still wasn’t home yet. If he didn’t like it, I resolved to eat it all over the next two days. He says he doesn’t like cold soups. But I think he’s warming up to them. (see what I did there)

With a few flicks of the vitamix switch, it was done. There’s no cooking involved. I stirred a few ice cubes through it. I like my cold soup cold. Sprinkled on mint, pepitas, and goat cheese. Drizzled a bit more oil and cream. Finishing salt. Done. It was creamy and tangy and herbacious and so green and cool. Everything I’d hoped it would be. When he came home, I poured him a bowl. Hit it with the pepitas, shredded a few mint leaves with my fingers. Tore a piece of bread off and put it on the side. He loved it, and that was even better than the first bite. Here’s the recipe.

ps. Want it dairy free? Sub a non-dairy milk like coconut or almond for the cream. It won’t be the same, but it will be different and good and lighter.