"Gazpacho"

This dish originated in Andalusia but this simple yet delicious cold soup is synonymous with summertime all throughout Spain.

Bell peppers, bread, virgin olive oil, vinegar, and salt are added to tomatoes. These ingredients are the foundation of a gazpacho, but every household makes a slightly different version. For example, garlic, cucumber, or onion may be added.

If the (preferably white) bread is mixed with the ripe, chopped tomatoes and left for a couple of hours, or even overnight, the juice from the fruit will soak into the crumb and add real depth of flavor to the dish.

Gazpacho is usually accompanied by a garnish made from finely chopped onion, tomato, green pepper, cucumber, boiled egg, and bread. Modern cooks have adapted the recipe with the inclusion of cherries, strawberries, or beet, turning it into an avant-garde dish.

However, Fernando Rueda, from Málaga, believes the origins of gazpacho are rooted in the Andalusian countryside, as a meal that laborers prepared with bread, garlic, vinegar, and water. The addition of tomato as the main ingredient came about in the 18th century, when gazpacho was promoted from the field to the tables of the aristocracy.