National Gazpacho Day!

Today we celebrate Gazpacho soup, a classic Spanish cold soup made with an assortment of vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and garlic.  This day is observed annually on December 6th.

Gazpacho is a thick and rich and refreshing dish served chilled tomato-based soup and typically enjoyed during the summer months, even if it is celebrated in the month of December.  If you love tomato soup, you will definitely love and enjoy this soup.  Regardless of the reason, gazpacho is a delicious meal that can be enjoyed at any time.

During the 19th century, the red gazpacho evolved when tomatoes were added from the original ingredients.  Traditionally, gazpacho was made by pounding the vegetables in a mortar with a pestle.  It is a more laborious method of preparation which is still being used as it helps keep the gazpacho cool and avoids the foam and the completely smooth consistency by the blender or food processors.

Gazpacho soup may be served alone or with garnishes like hard-boiled eggs, chopped ham, chopped almonds, cumin crushed with mint, or finely chopped green pepper with some onion, tomato, and cucumber.

So, if you are hungry for tomato soup why not try a delicious Gazpacho soup to celebrate this day to serve for dinner.  Share on social media the recipe for how you make them using #GazpachoSoupDay.

1941 FDR to Japanese emperor: “Prevent further death and destruction”

President Roosevelt—convinced on the basis of intelligence reports that the Japanese fleet is headed for Thailand, not the United States—telegrams Emperor Hirohito with the request that “for the sake of humanity,” the emperor intervene “to prevent further death and destruction in the world.”

The Royal Australian Air Force had sighted Japanese escorts, cruisers, and destroyers on patrol near the Malayan coast, south of Cape Cambodia. An Aussie pilot managed to radio that it looked as if the Japanese warships were headed for Thailand—just before he was shot down by the Japanese. Back in England, Prime Minister Churchill called a meeting of his chiefs of staff to discuss the crisis. While reports were coming in describing Thailand as the Japanese destination, they began to question whether it could have been a diversion. British intelligence had intercepted the Japanese code “Raffles,” a warning to the Japanese fleet to be on alert—but for what?

Britain was already preparing Operation Matador, the launching of its 11th Indian Division into Thailand to meet the presumed Japanese invasion force. But at the last minute, Air Marshall Brooke-Popham received word not to cross the Thai border for fear that it would provoke a Japanese attack if, in fact, the warship movement was merely a bluff.

(excerpted from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/roosevelt-to-japanese-emperor-prevent-further-death-and-destruction)

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