Tuesday, July 1, 2025
We at The Georgetowner love food. With the July 4 weekend upon us, we put together a list of our favorite recipes, just in time for your upcoming barbecues and get-togethers. Happy cooking!
Publisher Sonya Bernhardt’s Contemporary Castilian Gazpacho
From Sonya: “This is a great snack that is quick, low-cal, refreshing — just waiting in the fridge to be eaten. Bonus — no stove needed! This recipe is modernized by eliminating one ingredient — the day-old baguette traditionally used to thicken the soup. With the surplus of tomatoes, cukes, and green peppers this the summer, Vitamix your way with this Spanish classic adapted by a first-generation American-Castilian girl.”
Ingredients:
4-5 large fresh ripe tomatoes (yellow tomatoes can be fun for a special occasion with yellow peppers resulting in a yellow gazpacho. Top with zested lemon or lime and thinly sliced spring onions)
One large Cucumber
One large green pepper
½ sweet onion
5 counts of olive oil
5 counts of red wine vinegar (or sherry if you have on hand)
2 dashes of your favorite hot sauce
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Glass of water to adjust thickness
Wash and dry veggies. Chop veggies into 1–2-inch chunks and/or slices. This will make two batches in a Vitamix or another high-powered blender. Throw half of each veggie in blender with all other ingredients and repeat until all ingredients are used. Taste for more salt or pepper before removing each batch from the blender. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until cold. This will last up to 3-4 days.
Serve cold with a drizzle of good fruity olive oil.
Toppings are optional and make a nice presentation and add crunch. Here are several ideas:
- Small dices of any variety of the veggies used in recipe: Tomatoes, Cukes, peppers
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Home-made croutons made from baguettes fried in a bit of olive oil
Summer Intern Annabel Taylor’s Bánh mì
From Annabel: “My mom makes the best bánh mì, one of her signature dishes. Bánh mì is my favorite dish to eat poolside or on the beach in the summer. It’s both hearty and fresh, filled with pickled carrots and cucumbers, salty nu?c ch?m sauce and pork, chicken or my personal favorite, soft shell crab—all between the perfect slice of baguette. I love to have it with a side of crispy fries.” You can find a recipe for New York Times Cooking’s bánh mì here.
Summer Intern Caroline Woodward’s Grilled Peaches
From Caroline: “As a longtime resident of Georgia, I must advocate here for everyone’s favorite stone fruit, the humble peach. While simply sweet and delicious on their own, grilling peaches gives them a flair perfect for the star side dish of any summer barbecue. Beyond the grilled peach basics, adding toppings such as yogurt and honey pairs perfectly with a mid-afternoon aperitif, or cinnamon and ice cream makes for a refreshing end-of-day sweet treat.”
How to grill peaches:
Preparing:
Cut the fruit all the way around, following the natural line that starts at the top.
Carefully twist the peach halves to loosen them, then pull them apart.
Remove the pit
Brush halves with olive oil
Grilling:
Preheat the grill to high heat (400 degrees roughly)
Place peaches fruit side down and grill for 3-4 minutes
Add any preferred toppings (yogurt, balsamic glaze, cinnamon, ice cream, etc.)
Enjoy!
Summer Intern Grace Cady’s Cowboy Caviar
From Grace: “I grew up with my mom and both my grandmothers making ‘Cowboy Caviar’ – a summertime staple for my family. Each of them makes it a bit differently, but this is the recipe my mother uses and what I have the most often. Between the sweet Wisconsin corn and the subtle kick of fresh jalapenos, it is the perfect refreshing snack. Serve with Frito’s scoop chips to dip for best results! You can find a recipe for cowboy caviar here.”
Director of Content and Advertising Kate Oczypok’s Grandma’s Macaroni Salad
Growing up, my grandmother made this macaroni salad for every family event from Easter through Labor Day. Making it now just brings me back to simpler times, enjoying a family barbecue, running through the sprinkler while Motown hits play on a radio in the background.
Grandma O’s Macaroni Salad:
1 box of radiator pasta noodles, cooked + drained.
While warm sprinkle a packet of Washington’s Brown Seasoning & Mix. Let cool.
Add 1 dozen peeled, hard boiled eggs
Add 2 stalks of diced celery
Mix with:
1 ½ cups of Hellman’s mayo
2 tbsps. of olive oil
2 tsps. of vinegar
½ tsp. of salt
½ tsp. of pepper
Keep cold until ready to serve.