Hunger is the mother of all invention.

Last night, a cucumber gazpacho at The National revealed my culinary destiny to me. I guzzled it like a thirsty off-road vehicle at the foot of a muddy hill, hungry for grit in its grille. This summer soup must be the reason I’d received a blender for my birthday last year!

The waitress, framed in red hair and red glasses, had lilted out the names of the local farms where each ingredient originated. The Athens area is rich with many local farms, so many fresh ingredients; this must have been why the culinary gods helped me relocate to Athens.

After two months on a demanding client project, I have some time to cook again. My culinary destiny is ripe, and Athens is good for the picking. I’ll keep you posted on my Classic City gazpacho adventures as they come this summer.