Strawberry Ice and Gazpacho

DEAR SOS: The strawberry ice sold at the Old Harmony Pasta Factory in Harmony, Calif. is outstanding. Can you get the recipe?

--READER

DEAR READER: The strawberry ice is one of the handmade gourmet foods made at the Old Harmony Pasta Factory. What a refreshing no- fat, low-cal ending to a hot-day meal.

OLD HARMONY PASTA FACTORY STRAWBERRY ITALIAN ICE

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

4 cups hulled fresh strawberries or 4 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries, thawed

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

Combine sugar and water in saucepan. Bring to boil and boil rapidly 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Puree strawberries in blender or food processor, leaving small chunks of berries. Add pureed strawberries, lemon and orange juices to sugar-water and mix thoroughly.

Pour into freezer trays or containers to freeze firm. Do not pour into dessert glasses to freeze, as glass might break. Makes about 3 cups or 6 servings.

Note: Adjust sugar according to sweetness of berries. Frozen berries or extra-sweet fresh berries may require less sugar (about 3/4 cup).

DEAR SOS: Most unfortunately I misplaced my recipe for Scandia Gazpacho. I have tried several other gazpacho recipes from your column, but none is as good.

--JO ANN

DEAR JO ANN: Scandia restaurant in Los Angeles no longer exists but the recipe goes on. And what a good cold soup it is for a picnic outing.

SCANDIA GAZPACHO

4 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cups tomato juice

1/2 cup wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup white or red wine

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Few dashes hot pepper sauce

Few dashes Worcestershire sauce

Toppings

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, cucumber and jalapeno chile in bowl and let soak in tomato juice 2 hours. Add wine vinegar, olive oil, wine, paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire. Turn into blender container and blend until smooth. Strain and chill several hours to blend flavors. Add water if too thick.

Serve in chilled soup bowls and garnish with Toppings in separate bowls. Makes 4 servings.

Toppings

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1 green pepper, seeded and diced

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

Chopped chives

2 to 4 slices white bread, diced and toasted

Place cucumber, avocado, green pepper, red pepper, chives and toasted bread in separate bowls.