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Chef 's Corner By Randy Balt Mango Spacho When the heat index is heading towards triple digits most of us are looking for relief, such as a dip in the pool or a cool drink. Another pleasing way to counter the temperature is a nice cold cup of soup. That's right! I said a cold cup of soup! I'm sure you have heard of gazpacho, which is a tomato based cold soup, but cold soups can be made with many other ingredients and are usually vegetable or fruit based to create a tasty addition to your summer time meals. Prep Time: 30 min. • Level: Easy • Serves four to six INGREDIENTS 6 cups fine-diced or shredded ripe mangos (about 3 large or 6 small mangos) 1/4 cup rice vinegar, or to taste 1/4 cup light olive oil 1 cup of water Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste Optional: 1-2 Tbsp. sugar if mangos are tart 1/4 cup fine-diced red onions 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro Optional: Seeded jalapeno, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives chopped, to taste; orange juice Directions 1. Combine half the mangos (3 cups), vinegar, olive oil, water, salt and pepper in a blender; purée. If the mangos are tart, add a little sugar. 2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the onions, cucumbers, cilantro, chives, jalapeno, if desired, and remaining diced mango. Instead of diced mangos Teri shredded them using a food processor. 3. If mixture is too thick to be a soup, thin with additional water or orange juice. Correct seasonings, adding salt, vinegar or sugar to taste. 4. Serve immediately or, better yet, store in refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to blend. Adjust seasonings just before serving. Did You Know? Mid Summer August: Did you know that August was Month, Cataract Awareness Month, and Happiness Happens originally the sixth month in the Roman calendar? It was called Month? Doesn't it make you wonder about how these special Sextilis in Latin. The month was changed to the eighth month titles are created? about 700 BC when January and February were added to the In the Dog House Now: Did you know that we are now in calendar by King Pompilius. the Dog Days of Summer? The weather is the hottest and most Caesar Saves the Days: Did you know that August sultry during the late July through early September period; originally had only 29 days? Julius Caesar added two more days these are the days of the year with the least rainfall in the Northern Hemisphere. The time was referred to as Dog Days in 45 BC when he created the Julian calendar. because the Dog Star, Sirius, originally rose and set with the National Everything Month: Did you know that August sun. Blaming the discomfort on the Dog Star, the Romans went is National Immunization Awareness Month, National Psoriasis so far as to sacrifice a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Awareness Month, National Water Quality Month, National Days to appease the rage of Sirius. I wonder what they thought Back to School Month, National Goat Cheese Month, American when it stayed hot anyway. ~ Bobbie Eckel Adventures Month, Audio Appreciation Month, Black Business Community News | FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2013 11

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