White Cucumber Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes

Enjoy a delicious Gazpacho from award-winning Chef Percy Whatley and bring a taste of The Ahwahnee Dining Room home with you.

White Cucumber Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes

T&D Willey Farms Products

Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Bell Peppers
Basil
Parsley

Yield: 1 qt, serves 4-6
Sliced sourdough, crust removed, torn 1 slice
Whole Milk ½ cup
Yellow onion, diced 2 oz
Shallots, minced ½ oz
Garlic, minced 1 clove
Mediterranean Cucumbers, chopped 1 lb
Lemon Juice 1 Tblsp
Green Bell Peppers, roasted, peeles 1 each
Basil leaves, fresh, chopped 1 tsp
Parslty, fresh, chopped ½ tsp
Cilantro, fresh, chopped ½ tsp
Sliced almonds, toasted ¾ oz
White wine Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp
Sherry Vinegar ½ tsp
Kosher Salt 2 tsp
Ground black pepper pinch
Smoked Paprika, sweet/dulce ½ tsp
Celery Salt ¼ tsp
Cumin, ground ¼ tsp
Olive Oil, extra virgin 3 Tblsp
Water 1/3 cup

1. Soak torn bread in milk until soft.
2. Sweat onions, garlic and shallot in olive oil until translucent over medium heat.
3. Toast almonds in oven until golden brown.
4. Toast cumin, celery salt, black pepper and paprika in a dry pan until smoke develops, remove from heat immediately.
5. Combine all ingredients together and blend until smooth, strain through a sieve.
6. Chill and serve with garnish below.
Garnish:
Heirloom or very ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 5 oz
Parsley, fresh, finely minced ¼ Tblsp
Sour Cream or Crème Fraiche 2 Tblsp
Olive Oil, extra virgin, for drizzling as needed
Sea Salt, such as Fleur de Sel as needed
Sourdough croutons as needed
1. Combine tomatoes and parsley.
2. Press into a ramekin or similar mold. Unmold in the middle of the bowl.
3. Pour soup around the molded tomatoes.
4. Spoon a little sour cream or crème fraiche on the tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle with salt, add croutons and drizzle a little olive oil. Serve.

Top 5 Ways to Stay Cool in Yosemite

With the unseasonably warm temperatures in the mid-90s forecast for Yosemite over the next few days, we asked our awesome fans over on Facebook for some of their favorite tips on staying cool in the park. We’ve summarized some of their wisdom here. Although, of course, as one of our fans points out, “Just being in Yosemite makes you a lot cooler….”

Take advantage of the many lakes and rivers

Take advantage of Yosemite’s lakes and rivers to stay cool during the summer.

There are countless swimming holes and beaches in Yosemite for those who are looking to cool off during the warmest part of the day. The Merced River runs down the center of Yosemite Valley, and is lined with many wonderful sandy beaches that are perfect for swimming, water play, or just relaxing with a good book. Just make sure you stick to the sandy beaches and respect the areas closed for rehabilitation so that you don’t compact or erode soil around fragile riverbank plants. A few favorite spots include Housekeeping Camp beaches or Sentinel Beach. During the early part of the season when the water is high, but not too cold, rental rafts are available at Curry Village if you want to enjoy a scenic float down the river.

Head for the High Country

At ~4000 feet, Yosemite Valley is already cooler than much of the surrounding areas, and people from the central valley have been coming up to Yosemite to cool off for decades. And the higher you go, the cooler it gets. At ~8000ft, the Tuolumne area can be 10 degrees cooler than the Valley.
If you want to combine these two top tips –Tenaya Lake’s expansive beaches in a spectacular mountain setting got a lot of votes from our fans.

Drink Water Often

In its Heat Safety Fact Sheet, OSHA recommends drinking every 15 minutes, even if you aren’t thirsty. Drinking water helps keeps your body’s own cooling systems running smoothly.

Bring a reusable water bottle and fill up on fresh cool water from Yosemite’s taps. Yosemite’s tap water is healthy, clean and very drinkable. Download the Green Guide to find water refill stations along with other useful information on protecting Yosemite’s environment. Be sure to treat any water you pull from rivers or lakes.

Be a Shade Seeker

It can be surprising how much cooler it is in the shade here than in the sun. If you don’t want to just relax in the shade all day, consider bringing some of that cooling shade with you wherever you go. Sunhats provide relief from the heat of the sun, and light-weight long sleeved shirts can actually be cooler than being exposed to the sun.

Know Your Limits

Knowing your limits is always a good idea. In hot weather, you may not be able to go as far or as fast as you’re used to. Take your time, and rest often (in the shade if you can). It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms of heat illness; dizziness, headache, abnormally fast heart beat, cramps, nausea and vomiting. If you see any of these signs, it is a good idea to stop and take some time to cool off.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta Recipe

White Chocolate Panna Cotta – by Chef Paul Padua

Have you ever wondered what goes into those exotic desserts that grace the covers of food magazines? The Awhahnee’s Executive Pastry Chef, Paul Padua, shares his recipe for the White Chocolate Panna Cotta that was recently featured on the cover of Pastry and Baking North America. Feel free to test out your inner-pastry chef skills. We promise not to judge if you want to just read the recipe and dream of the indulgent dessert.