We recently wrote about gazpacho; now we’re expanding the conversation to recipe below, Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup.

Chilled soups can be savory or sweet, smooth or chunky, thick or thin, creamy or fat-free, flavored with your favorite herbs and spices, garnished with anything from croutons to chopped nuts.

You can use a base of milk/cream, purée, stock/broth, yogurt, even bread and water or beer.

You can serve the soup in bowls, cups, mason jars, mugs, wine glasses. You can serve mini-portions in shot glasses or juice glasses.

You can carry it around in a thermos.

If you don’t often cook—or if you want to teach a household member to cook—these recipes are pretty foolproof. Most can be made in a blender.

While soups with meat (beef, chicken) or lots of butter don’t lend themselves to chilling (the fat globules solidify), you won’t notice their absence. Just name your favorites and look for a recipe.

 
The recipes can be as classic as white gazpacho (the original gazpacho) or as modern as iced carrot and orange soup.

Nothing is easier than blender soup. Try this yummy recipe…

…and check out these 9 ways to use cucumbers.

strong>Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

2. TASTE the soup just before serving and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve in bowls garnished with finely diced cucumber, red onion and a drizzle of olive oil.

 
Recipe adapted from Andrew Zimmern, FoodAndWine.com.
 
 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOUPIN OUR SOUP GLOSSARY.

[2] Chilled cucumber soup (photo Jacob Barss Bailey | CC BY NC-ND 2.0 License).

[3] Raspberry soup with yogurt. Here’s the recipe (photo © Eat Wisconsin Cheese).

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[1] The signature cone is a flower made from petal-shaped scoops. You can have them all in one flavor, or in as many flavors as you like (all photos © Amorino Gelato.

[2] You can have “petals” in [almost] as many flavors as you like.

[3] In addition to all the classic gelato flavors, there are wonderful specials like Nougat.

Every year prior to July, National Ice Cream Month, we look for a great new brand of ice cream to review. This year, we were not disappointed: Amorino Gelato, the acclaimed European gelato and coffee chain, has come to the U.S.

The gelato and sorbetto—celestial, awesome, fill in your favorite superlative here—is our new favorite ice cream and sorbet. Everything is as good as it can be (our thought: “to die for”), sometimes jaw-droppingly so (don’t overlook the Chocolate Sorbetto—no dairy—is like thick fudge, the Basil-Lime special of the month is a revelation, etc. etc. etc.).

Launched in 2002 in Paris by two friends, the the company now has some 60 locations worldwide, and growing.

There are dozens of locations in the U.S. with more to come. Here’s a store locator.

In fact:

Amorino is a franchise. You can bring this wonderful gelato to your town.
 
 
BEYOND THE CONE

There’s more than ice cream cones and ae monthly selection of 23 flavors (gelato, sorbetto, frozen yogurt) plus a special of the month.

If you’re not in the mood for an ice cream cone, have some:

 
There are organic and vegan options to meet customer requests. The entire range of gelato and sorbet is gluten-free.

All of the products are made by artisans in Italy and shipped to the U.S.

If you’re traveling to an “Amorino city,” make the ice cream a destination stop. You won’t be disappointed, even if you have to wait in line.

Or better yet, make your city an Amorino city!
 
 
Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The difference between gelato and ice cream.

> The year’s 50+ ice cream and frozen dessert holidays.

> The history of ice cream.

> The different types of ice cream and frozen desserts: a photo glossary.

 
 
ABOUT AMORINO

Amorino Gelato was founded in 2002 by two childhood friends, Cristiano Sereni and Paolo Benassi, who grew up in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

They grew up eating the region’s famous foods: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and cappelletti pasta (“little hats”), among other specialties†.

Their mission was to introduce authentic, traditional Italian gelato to the French market, focusing on natural ingredients without artificial colors or flavors.

Amorino distinguishes itself from industrial gelato and ice cream by incorporating less air and maintaining a slightly higher serving temperature, which results in a denser, creamier texture. They source the highest-quality ingredients from Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar to Mawardi pistachios from the Anatolian plains of Turkey.
The Signature “Rose” Shape

The company’s most famous contribution to the gelato world is its unique presentation. Instead of using traditional round scoops, Amorino “gelato artists” use a flat spatula to apply thin slices of gelato to the cone, petal by petal, to create a signature rose shape.

A key part of the Amorino experience is that customers can choose as many different flavors as they want for their “petals,” regardless of the size of the cone.

Another of the brand’s innovations was adding a gelato-filled macaron to the center of the rose.

The chain has reached a milestone of more 300 stores globally. Find one!
 

[4] An Amorino store in Paris.

________________
 
*More specialties of Reggio-Emilia:

Erbazzone (Scarpasò), the quintessential savory snack, a savory pie filled with Swiss chard or spinach, plus onions, garlic, and a very generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano, all encased in a thin, flaky lard-based crust.

Gnocco Fritto, the region’s special appetizer: small squares of dough that are deep-fried until they puff up into hollow, golden pillows.

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This fun approach to Melon and Prosciutto was created by Chef Mario at Bar Eolo in New York City.

 
OTHER TYPES OF HAM

You don’t have to use prosciutto, an Italian dry-cured (uncooked) ham served in very thin slices. You can try serrano, speck or any ham you prefer. While this recipe

Check out the different types of ham in our Ham Glossary.

A coulis (French, prounounced coo-LEE) is a fruit or vegetable sauce that is puréed, then strained to remove any seeds. Although straining creates a more elegant-looking sauce, you can save a few minutes and serve the purée unstrained.

You can use fresh or frozen strawberries—or any berry you prefer. Or, try kiwi, mango or other fruit. You can make the coulis up to a week in advance and store it in a sealed container in the fridge.

 
Ingredients For 1 Cup Of Sauce

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. COOL and transfer to a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth; strain, and refrigerate.