Sopa de Fresa 1975 (Strawberry Soup) -

Vidal, Patricia. Vegetariana Mexicana. Gomez-Gomez Hnos., 1975. Pp. 32

In the U.S., people often don’t think of Mexican cuisine as “vegetarian,” but in fact many traditional dishes can be made vegetarian simply by substituting of oil for lard or cheese for meat. Interestingly, Mexican cookbooks from the 1970s demonstrate a growing attraction to vegetarianism around the same time that the phenomenon emerged in the U.S. with cookbooks like Diet for a Small Planet and the Moosewood Cookbook.

Book Cocina Vegetariana Mexicana by Patricia Vidal

Browsing through Vidal’s cookbook, the recipe “Sopa de Fresa” caught my eye because a cold, juice-like strawberry soup seemed just the thing for a hot May evening. As I read the recipe, I realized that the equal proportions of liquid and grain meant this would really be more of a “sopa seca” or dry soup. However, by then I was intrigued, so I decided to try it anyway.

This strawberry soup is quick, simple, and surprisingly tasty. I was a little skeptical of uncooked oatmeal, but after being in the refrigerator overnight, it made a delightful cold, creamy breakfast. It easily served two for breakfast, and if it were being served as an appetizer, or topped with cream and extra berries in small dessert dishes, I think it would serve at least four.

Sopa de Fresa

A una taza de leche se agrega una de avena o trigo molido y todo es endulzado con miel de abeja. Después, se agrega una media taza de fresas martajadas. En vez de fresas puede ponerse otra clase de fruta parecida, por ejemplo frambuesas o moras. La sopa debe perpararse por lo menos una media hora antes de la comida, para que la avena o trigo tenga tiempo de ablandarse.

Strawberry Soup

To one cup of milk, add a cup of oatmeal or cracked wheat and sweeten the mixture with honey.

Then add a half cup of strawberries that have been partially, but not completely mashed.

In place of strawberries, other fruits may also be used, such as raspberries or blackberries. The soup should be prepared at least half an hour before eating, so that the oatmeal or wheat has time to soften.