Cool and satisfying, Cold Peach Soup is a beautiful first course for a light summer meal. Spooned over Pound Cake or ice cream it also makes a delicious dessert. This versatile recipe combines a spiced simple syrup with white wine and seasonal fruit in a recipe that is easy to prepare in advance and perfect for sharing.
Summertime Procrastinating
Cold Peach Soup is a delightful recipe I should have tried sooner. I’m really not sure what took me so long. Maybe it was the soup part. Preparing a course often modified by the phrase “piping hot” may have thrown me off in the dog days of summer. Or it could have been the arrowroot powder. Despite the clearly noted alternative, knowing I have no arrowroot in my pantry may have encouraged me to turn the page. Or maybe it was the layout of the recipe. It covers two full pages in the cookbook. In the end, however, that is more a testament to the recipe’s versatility than to its level of difficulty.
Finally, after owning this cookbook for more than thirty years, and passing Cold Peach Soup on the way to Zucchini Bread or Beehive Peach with Bourbon Sauce again and again, the Peach part of the title grabbed my attention. At last, this recipe demanded a closer look. After all, I had a big box of peaches ripening on my kitchen counter at that very moment. With the sweet fragrance of fresh stone fruit in the warm summer air the recipe for Cold Peach Soup was suddenly irresistible.
Vintage Peach Versatility
While Cold Peach Soup does occupy two pages in Cooking with Curtis Grace: A Collection of Favorite Recipes From Curtis Grace And His The Ninth Street House Restaurant, I must admit the font is quite large. I should also add that the directions cover more than the recipe alone. The instructions include several distinct serving options. The chilled peach mixture is refreshing and delicious as a first course soup. It is also quite appealing when served as a cool dessert topping spooned generously over thick slices of Pound Cake. Adding a garnish of whipped cream and blueberries elevates the dessert option even further. Simple directions for a sour cream laced whipped cream, recommended for that purpose, is included.
Cooking with Curtis Grace also reminds me that this recipe appeared in Bon Appetit’s 1981 Favorite Restaurant Recipes. The author notes that “It was quite difficult introducing Cold Soups to the general public.” It seems they were still something of a novelty in the 1960’s and 70’s. Still, they fit neatly into Curtis Grace’s style. Cold soups are often fairly simple to prepare in advance, making them perfect for entertaining. By the mid-1980’s, when this cookbook was written, they had become a favorite and several recipes for cold soups are included in its pages.
In the end, this vintage recipe remains true to the promise in the book’s forward notes. It is mindful of “the working person with limited preparation time.” It is also “simple, easy to follow and…may be prepared ahead.”
Cold Peach Soup Ingredients
To make this fabulous Cold Peach Soup you’ll need four key ingredients:
Peaches
These can be fresh or frozen and thawed. Fresh peaches are my favorite. When they are fresh at the market they are hard to resist and I end up with lots of peaches ripening in my kitchen. This recipe is a great way to use them up. If, however, peaches aren’t in season, frozen peaches that have been thawed will work quite well.
Wine
A dry white wine gives this cold soup its depth and complexity. Your choice allows for some adaptation to the occasion and the rest of your menu. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris is perfect for a light summer meal. A dry Riesling is also a good choice.
Spiced Simple Syrup
You will prepare the Spiced Simple Syrup in Step 2 of the recipe directions. It will take a little while to dissolve and reduce the sugar mixture on the stove top but the fragrance of cinnamon and cloves makes this small task a pleasure. The spices will add interest to the soup and even convey a prescient note as they hint at harvest flavors with autumn soon to come.
Arrowroot Powder (or Cornstarch)
Arrowroot powder or cornstarch will thicken the fruit mixture to give it body and texture and will discourage any settling.
Cold Peach Soup
Course: Dessert, SoupsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings10
minutes40
minutes3
hoursCool and satisfying, this soup can be served as a starter or spooned over cake or ice cream to create a delicious dessert.
Ingredients
- Peach Soup:
5 cups peaches (2 1/2 pounds), fresh or frozen and thawed
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
2 cups dry white wine
- Whipped Cream:
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
- For Dessert:
Pound Cake
Fresh Blueberries, rinsed and drained
Directions
- Peach Soup:
- Peel the peaches, if fresh. Completely thaw, if frozen. Puree the peaches in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, clove and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and return mixture to the pan.
- Add the cornstarch and white wine to the sugar mixture and blend thoroughly. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Stir in the pureed peaches. Cover and chill well.
- Whipped Cream:
- In a medium bowl, combine whipping cream and powdered sugar. With an electric mixer, or rotary hand mixer, beat cream mixture until it holds peaks. Fold in cold sour cream. Chill thoroughly.
- To Serve:
- As a first course: Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with a small dollop of Whipped Cream and a peach slice, if desired.
As a dessert: Spoon soup over thick slices of pound cake and garnish with a large dollop of whipped cream and fresh blueberries.
