THE ULTIMATE SUMMER SOUPS

Las sopas del verano: ¿porra, salmorejo o zoque?

There are many signs that could make us feel like we have both feet in the children's favourite season - and mine - such as the heat, the change of time, the sunset after 9 pm, the smell of embers and skewers, the smell of sun cream,... And so I could continue an almost endless list of ways to dream of holidays. However, I consider that there are two definitive signs in my life with which I already feel entitled to say "summer has arrived": the night of San Juan and porra (or other cold soups such as gazpacho, salmorejo, etc.).

Today's post I wanted to dedicate to the (cold) summer soups, to tell you a little about their history, names and show you how easy it is to make them.

• The first and the most famous par excellence: gazpacho. The classic Spanish tomato soup. Summer arrives when the supermarket refrigerators are flooded with bottles and cartons that bear its name. This soup, which can even be ordered at McDonalds as a drink, has tomato, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic and salt. On many occasions we can find it with cucumber. A dish that is both a drink and a meal and that will cool you down on the hottest days this summer.

• The second is a thicker soup, which has an infinite number of names and variables. Porra Antequerana. Porra is a cold soup which has tomato, pepper, bread, EVOO, vinegar, garlic and salt. It is usually served with chopped boiled egg, diced Serrano ham, tuna and a splash of olive oil to decorate. A much thicker soup than gazpacho (which can be drunk in a glass). It is a simple and fresh delicacy, whose origin is the northern area of ​​the province of Malaga.

Porra Antequerana

• Salmorejo, despite being very similar to porra, its distinguishing element is that it does not have pepper. A soup that is also thick and a little softer than porra, since it lacks the touch of pepper.
  

• The Zoque from Malaga. Although not as well known, it was always present in my house thanks to my grandmother Inés. Very similar to salmorejo or porra from Antequera, but fresher, since it has carrots. In addition, it is usually served with anchovies in vinegar or pickled fish. The etymological origin comes from Arabic, and the fact is that for almost 1000 years in which they were around, we had to see it somewhere. It comes from the word suqat, which means waste. A soup that originally meant not wasting the leftovers of the day and that has ended up being a favorite in Malaga homes during the summer.
  

My absolute favorite is porra, but this year I am giving gazpacho a chance, which I have never been a big fan of, to take with me on a walk or to the beach (and I am quite liking it).

What is your favorite?