Going through security for my flight from New York to Virginia I noticed a sign that said ‘no snow-globes may be taken on this flight.’ It sounded such a fanciful idea to even think of taking a snow-globe flying that I immediately wanted to. And that got me thinking about how to make an edible snow-globe. So far the best I’ve come up with is this…. a borage ice sphere.
Admittedly it’s more like one of those hefty glass paperweights that are the mystery weapons in Agatha Christie crime novels, but I think it’s beautiful all the same. And since I was in fanciful mood I decided to pair my globe with not red but green gazpacho soup. I’ve always found the sheer bossy lividness of red gazpacho very off-putting. This green confection is coolly elegant Grace Kelly to siren fire-cracker Rita Hayworth.
Borage Ice
Simply add borage flowers (which taste of cucumber) to your favourite ice-cube mould, top up with water and freeze.
Green Gazpacho
2lbs assorted red and yellow tomatoes – just so long as they smell of summer and haven’t had their flavour annihilated in the fridge
Quarter cup gin – this idea is inspired by the chef Alex Urena. He uses vodka but I think the juniper flavour of the gin draws out the taste of the tomatoes beautifully
3 green peppers deseeded and chopped roughly
1 cucumber peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery chopped
Handful of celery leaves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
Fistful of coriander leaves
Serves 4
Whizz up the tomatoes and gin in a blender. Pour into a sieve lined with kitchen towel and allow to drip into a bowl in the fridge overnight. Meanwhile mix the peppers, cucumber, celery and celery leaves with the vinegars, juice, sugar and seasoning in a bowl and place this in the fridge too. The next morning chuck out the tomato that has collected in the kitchen paper. Add the clear tomato liquid, the contents of the vegetable bowl and the coriander leaves to the blender and whizz until smooth. If you like you can re-drip this through a paper-lined sieve if you want clear, green sophistication. But there’s really no need and I never do.
Add a borage sphere to your ice cold soup. Eat while imagining what your fantasy snow globe would contain.
Love it! Love it! I also love the image of businessmen sitting in their plane seats playing with their snow globes…I think cold soup is comforting and elegant at the same time. I'll certainly try this one, my favourite is the one with yoghurt, garlic and walnuts eaten in Albania twenty five years ago – I can still taste it..
Thanks Liz. And I love the sound of the soup you ate in Albania – how delicious.
I'm a big fan of gazpachos – used to have lovely meals in Granada with local friends and there could be nothing better for the extrelly hot summers they have. This Green gazpacho sounds very, very interesting.Will never look at a snow globe the same way again.
Hi Valentina Thank you – gazpacho in Grenada sounds perfect.
Oh wow, this is so extraordinary!!! Wow!!
Absolutely beautiful. Borage grows so easily and the flowers are so beautiful.
Hi NinaWhat a lovely message to get first thing this morning – thankyou, thankyou Charlie
Hi Rose&Thank you for stopping by – it means a lot. Welcome to Eggs on the RoofCharlie
What a supreme idea, with the borage flowers. It reminds me of that pasta where you put a parsley leaf between two sheets of pasta and then roll it again and the ghost of the leaf shows like a leaf skeleton. I had a retro party a while back and I did great big cubs of Ice with flowers in, thrown into claret cup and white wine punch – but the flowers did not sit as well as yours!(Cruel about the snow domes! Yt another terrorist weapon!)
I love the sound of the claret cup….
I don't think I have ever eaten (or even seen) borage. What a drop-dead gorgeous dish this is! Still giggling about the Snow Globes of Global Terror… Who knew.
Thank you very much Jeanne! Must be a relief to know about the Snow Globes of Terror..