Why I Put Ice in My Soup
Wanna know a little secret? I often put ice in my soup. Gasp! Yes, you read that correctly. Hear me out. I have three very good reasons and I’ll bet my favorite knife that you’ll be able to relate.
1. The soup is just too damn hot — the temperature kind.
Now that I’m an adult, I can have whatever I want for dinner (wine and cheese, at times). I also don’t want to revert to my 7-year-old self and have to blow on my soup for what seems like an eternity. I just want to eat it!
I’ve been patiently sweating my veggies, letting it all simmer, and maybe even puréeing it. At this point, I’m getting hangry, my stomach is growling, and the crusty bread on the table is dying to take a dip.
What’s more, my lungs can only be gentle for so long until they start to furiously blow on my soup to speed up the process, and that always leads to splatters on the table — and on me. Well, I’m over and done with that!
Why struggle when an ice cube or two can do the job? Pop an ice cube into the bowl, give it a stir, and just like that — spoon to mouth in a snap! I’m not sure what’s better: not waiting to eat or not burning my tongue. Win-win!
2. The soup is just too damn hot — the spicy kind.
I overdid it. I really only meant to add just a teeny bit of chili powder for just a hint of spice. Or the recipe very clearly called for just an 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper and, after a long day, my eyes played a trick on me and I beefed it. Happens to the best of us.
Ice cubes to the rescue! They save your tastebuds and your soup by mellowing out the kick in a big way! Over-salted the soup? Ice works here, too. It dilutes the soup just enough to balance it all out, without totally thinning out the broth. It simply is a great trick when you’ve added more than you intended to of a certain spice or seasoning.
3. The soup isn’t cold enough.
Although it’s not exactly the season right now, some of the best soups are chilled. With the necessary ingredients usually at room temperature and the blitz in the blender (which ups the temperature of the contents), it’s no wonder that most recipes call for hours of chilling before you’re ready to serve. And, without that chill, the soup wouldn’t be nearly as delicious or refreshing.
But all that waiting until it’s cold requires time (I’m not even counting the time you already spent making said soup), and who has that anyway? Plus, I’m way too impatient.
My solution? I always make gazpacho or soon-to-be chilled soup on the thicker side, and I just stir in a couple of ice cubes to make it cold now, rather than later! Believe me, that fresh chill from the ice as it melts is much more refreshing than anything your fridge can do.
There you have it. That’s why I put ice in my soup, folks! Do you, too?
Disclaimer: I know you must be feeling so empowered, but don’t go crazy adding too much ice to your bowl of soup. You don’t want to thin it out so much that it turns into soup-flavored juice. A couple of cubes go a long way. Promise.