I have wonderful Yoga students.  Really.  Wonderful.

And I feel guilty about my last post’s rant.  I stand behind what I wrote but I didn’t mean to be so heavy-handed.  Blame my pre-menopausal hormones.  Or John Friend.  In any case, I should have waited twenty-four hours before hitting ‘publish’.

To make up for it, I offer a great recipe for white gazpacho and a tip for saving the earth one fabric remnant at a time.

Our Monday class at Avenidas began its summer break today and we decided to celebrate with a little party.  Marty brought her famous white gazpacho, Jan brought homemade chocolate chip cookies, and Mariella brought jam filled sugar cookies.  Who says Yogis don’t know how to have fun?

When I arrived for class a few weeks ago raving about the white gazpacho I’d been served at a dinner party, Marty insisted on comparing recipes. The dish I enjoyed was based on breadcrumbs, grapes, almonds and stock.  It’s dairy free. Marty’s features buttermilk and yogurt.  Both soups are delicious. Marty’s is light and summery – absolutely beautiful. The cooling combination of yogurt, cucumber and grape hits the tongue first.  After a moment the strong bite of pepper lands on the back of the throat.  The flavors are married, believe it or not, by the quirky tang of fresh dill. Is your mouth watering yet?

The bad news is, I don’t have Marty’s recipe.  But no worries!  I have the original white gazpacho – the gazpacho that started it all, and I can vouch for its wonderfulness.  One small note:  instead of water, feel free to use vegetable broth for more depth of flavor.  Enjoy!

http://thepauperedchef.com/2010/05/discovering-white-gazpacho.html

Saving the World One Fabric Remnant at a Time:

Like I said, I have wonderful students.  One of them is JoDee Raimondo.  Last year she began a business that rescues fabric remnants destined for the landfill.

She  turns them into adorable bags like this one (be sure to check out the lining):

JoDee also makes little wristlets like this one:

What I like about them is their attention to detail, her choice of fabric combinations and the fact that they are one of a kind creations. JoDee accepts commissions.  She recently created a handbag for a woman.  JoDee incorporated the client’s late husband’s  favorite tie.  What a wonderful remembrance.  If you want to know more about JoDee and her designer purses, here’s the link:

http://sites.google.com/site/pursesbyjodee/

Finally, a little reminder for Avenidas students:

• Registration for the Fall Quarter begins on Monday, August 16th.
• Fall Classes begin on Monday, September 13th.
• Beginning in September our sessions will run ten weeks instead of twelve.  We’ll keep the same schedule, with classes on Monday’s at 1:00, Tuesdays at 5:00 and Fridays at 10:30 or 11:45.  Click on ‘Classes’ for more details.