Chilled foods and beverages are an easy way to stay cool in these hot summer months. The Spanish gazpacho and Cuban mojitos at Florida's Oldest Restaurants are one way to beat the heat!
Andrea Gonzmart Williams, the fifth generation caretaker of the 1905 Family of Restaurants, which includes the Columbia, joins us in our kitchen to show off how to make both:
Gazpacho:
- For the soup:
- 12oz Tomato
- 3oz Cucumber
- 3oz Green Peppers
- 3oz Spanish Onion
- .25oz Garlic
- 2oz Bread Crumbs
- 1oz Vinegar
- 10oz Tomato Juice
- 10oz Water
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- For garnish:
- 1 each Tomato, diced
- 1 each Cucumber, diced
- 1 each Green Pepper, diced
- 1 each Spanish onion, diced
- 1 bag Croutons
Puree all ingredients for soup in a blender until smooth. Strain through China cap two times (optional). Chill in the refrigerator until time to serve, then garnish bowls with diced vegetables and croutons.
Mocktail Mojito:
- For the pitcher:
- 6oz Mint Simple Syrup
- 2 each Limes, cut in half (additional for limes for garnish)
- ¼ cup Fresh Mint, julienned, loosely packed (approximately .5oz in weight)
- .5 liter Sparkling Water
Fill pitcher up with ice and add mint syrup. Squeeze limes into pitcher and add. Add julienne mint, sparkling water and mix well. Serve with glasses garnished with mint sprigs and lime slices.
- For Mint Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup Sugar, granulated
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ cup Fresh Mint, julienned, loosely packed (approximately .5oz in weight)
Mix sugar with hot water. Add mint and boil water for 10 minutes. Strain syrup to remove mint leaves. Cool before using.
These dishes are also on the menu at the seven Columbia Restaurants in Florida.
You can learn how to make more of the Columbia's delicious dishes with The Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook by Adela Hernandez Gonzmart and Ferdie Pacheco. It's for sale at each restaurant and on the online gift shop at ColumbiaRestaurant.com.
