Gazpacho, the perfect summer food

I've linked this to a recipe, but the whole point I'm trying to make is that gazpacho is beyond recipes. It is for those days when looking at a recipe feels off.

Why? Heat, pleasure, or the combination of both. You have your people around you and you want to keep the conversation going. You are furious at the heat in your kitchen but you need to nourish your dehydrated body. Or, like me, because any excuse will work to make and eat gazpacho. It is infinitely expandable, or malleable, and it always tastes good.

Here is my rough, math-phobic, method. It's not even a recipe, that would offend my lazy summer sensibilities.

INGREDIENTS:

-A few gorgeous tomatoes of whatever color. (Three big ones, say, or a big basket of little ones.)

-A BIG clunk or several of decent olive oil (Be precious about the quality if you like, but one of the great things about soup is that it can be low cost.)

-Aromatics. This can be garlic, onion, red onion, or my favorite, shallot. How much? Measure with your heart, and know that things get sweeter the longer it sits in the fridge. (I usually cut up a quarter of an onion, or a clove of garlic, or a small shallot, and see how things taste after blending.)

-Cucumbers. (I try to match volume to the volume of tomatoes.) Any kind, peeled or seeded, depending a bit on how bitter they are to begin with. I leave a little peel, but take most out. If it's English ones, I scrape some of the seeds out but in a haphazard way, because who really cares?

-Bell peppers. I like red, orange and yellow. But green? Not my thing, but you do what you like on this one. Again, volume is the key. If I used three big tomatoes and a big fat cucumber, two peppers seems good to me.

-Lemon juice/sherry vinegar/red wine vinegar or a combo. They're all good. My favorite is sherry vinegar and lemon.

-Salt and pepper. Don't under salt this. It's a good time for some of Maldon sourced in an industrial size tub from Costco, but all salts will do. Some people stipulate white pepper, which is delicious, but again, who cares? And red pepper flakes are nice, if you are a heat-seeker.

-Dill. If it's at summer prices, it is going in. (I will use half a cup because I love dill, but obviously not everyone does.) Plus more for garnish.

Everything gets a rough chop to a size that seems similar-ish. Chopping vegetables for Gazpacho is a perfect kid job because the stakes are so low.

WHIZZ. I have had my blender explode onto VIP guests before. Best to go slowly.

Some people want a highly chunky version. I like mine fairly smooth, with a dollop of Greek yogurt or something creamy and dairy-like on top, with more herbs and salt and a squeeze of lemon. If you feel expansive, more olive oil. Why not?

This can be chilled for hours or days before serving. But I have had it room temperature in Iberia enough times to appreciate it that way, as well. In Spain, they sell Tetrapaks of Gazpacho at every corner store. (It is delicious.)

Cold soup, no cooking, again made without trying too hard. More time for swimming, gabbing, reading a book or just nourishing yourself while you wish you were swimming or gabbing.