In our last work on the culinary history, we focused on the potato omelette. This time, we will discuss gazpacho, what it is, how and when it emerged. However, before delving deeper, we must clarify that we are referring to Andalusian gazpacho. This clarification is important considering there are others like the Toledo, Manchego, Extremaduran, Machacón, and Málaga varieties.
The diversity of recipes complicates the path we want to take through the various dictionaries that have been given in the Castilian language over the last few centuries, as they usually do not specify which type of gazpacho they are referring to. Nonetheless, it seems equally interesting to delve into the different definitions in order to find or attempt to define the history and original recipe of Andalusian gazpacho.
We will start with the present moment, consulting the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy where we find two definitions (without identifying which type of gazpacho they refer to):
Perhaps from Arabic hisp. *gazpáčo, and this from the Greek γαζοφυλάκιον gazophylákion 'church broom', by allusion to its diversity of content, since in it were deposited as alms coins, bread crumbs and other objects.
ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY: Diccionario de la lengua española, 23.ª ed., [version 23.5 online]. <https://dle.rae.es>
1. m. cold soup whose basic ingredients are tomato, pepper, oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt, which is especially characteristic of Andalusia.
2. m. a type of dry bread soup that people in the countryside make from a baked torta, cooked on embers or between coals.
Manchego gazpachos
1. m. pl. galianos.
Within this same dictionary, other terms of similar origin are highlighted such as gazpachuelo, referring to Andalusia as: «a hot soup with eggs, the yolk beaten and the white cooked, seasoned with vinegar or lemon». As well as gazpachero, also referring to Andalusia as: «In cortijos, responsible for preparing food for farm workers».
From this definition we can extract several interesting ideas:
1- Just like with the potato omelette, the current recipe of Andalusian gazpacho could not have existed before the introduction of peppers and tomatoes through contact with America in the 16th century. Therefore, only two options remain: either gazpacho emerged after the 16th century or gazpacho prior to the 16th century did not include peppers or tomatoes.
2- The concept of gazpacho and gazpachuelo do not seem similar despite having a shared root, with one referring to cold soup and the other to hot soup.
3- Although it is not apparent from the definition in the RAE, it is declared in the definition of gazpachero its connection to cortijos in the context of farm workers, thus linking it to a working-class background.
The next dictionary consulted was that of María Moliner (in her Dictionary of Spanish Usage from 1973) who defines it as: «cold soup or salad made with pieces of bread, onion, tomato, etc., seasoned with garlic, salt, oil and vinegar, all raw». This definition is very similar to the current one in the RAE, except that it does not refer to pepper, which has been removed from the recipe or would have been added later chronologically. But if we go back a bit more and consult Roque Barcia's General Etymological Dictionary of the Spanish Language from 1880, we can find the following definitions in its third volume:
Gazofilacio. Masculine. The place where alms, revenues and riches of the temple were collected.
Roque Barcia, General Etymological Dictionary of the Spanish Language. Edition arranged, corrected and expanded by Don Eduardo de Echegaray (1945)
ETYMOLOGY. From Greek γαζοφυλάκιον (gazophylákion), from γαζα, treasure and φυλάζ, guard: Latin, gozophylacíum;
catalan , gasofilaci.
Gazpachero. Masculine. The person in charge of making gazpacho.
Gazpacho. Masculine. A type of cold soup made regularly with pieces of bread, oil, vinegar, garlic and onion. || Provincial. A type of dry bread soup that people in the countryside make from a baked torta cooked on embers or between coals.
From this new definition we can highlight several issues. First, we have added a reference to the previous term: «Gazofilacio», as if we observe the current definition in the RAE, the etymology makes direct reference to said root due to its similarity both in lexical origin and in the idea of 'agglutinator of elements or leftovers'. On the other hand, in this definition we see how not only pepper but also tomato disappear.
If we continue going back in time, we arrive at the Diccionario de Autoridades (Dictionary of Authorities), where in its fourth volume from 1734 appears the following definition for Gazpacho:
«A certain type of soup or stew, made regularly with bread cut into pieces, oil, vinegar, garlic and other ingredients according to taste. It is regular food for reapers and rural people»
Diccionario de Autoridades – Volume IV (1734)
With this reference we see how the elements referred to so far are united, without pepper or tomato, but also it is highlighted as 'regular food for reapers and rural people.'
Making a greater effort towards the past, we reach the 17th century with Sebastián De Covarrubias' monumental work (Toledo, 1539 – Cuenca, 1613), who in 1611 publishes the dictionary «Tesoro de la lengua castellana o española». In it, we can find (in plural) the definition of the 'gazpachos':
«A certain type of dry bread soup made with toasted bread and oil and vinegar, and other things that are mixed in, which they season. It is food for reapers and rough people».
Tesoro de la lengua castellana o española
This idea of gazpachos, in plural, seems to relate to the collective value mentioned with the expression 'other things', although it could also be understood from other references we have seen previously alluding to bread pieces. Regarding the singular term, according to Corominas, the term would derive from the root «caspa», probably pre-Roman and which would mean 'residues, leftovers of no value'. The suffix -acho, on the other hand, would indicate an Andalusian Mozarabic origin.
So no, the gazpacho we know is not the one that was consumed in Spain during the time of the Catholic Monarchs and although we could continue investigating and delve into the Middle Ages to find more references about this cold soup, we will stop for now to prepare it at a poetic rhythm.
Sonnet by Miguel Salcedo Hierro (Córdoba, 1923-Córdoba, 2010) in which he demonstrates ingeniously how to make gazpacho:
Four garlic cloves are crushed
with salt, bread crumbs, egg and tomato,
and beaten with olive oil,
mashed with the appropriate rhythms.
The water is mixed with the ingredients
to dilate the mixture well,
and finally vinegar is added in small amounts.
When the paste is well diluted,
the colander should be sharpened to its noble caste
and, to garnish this fine dish,
we give it a special accent by adding
slices of pepper,
onion, bread and cucumber.
Bibliography
ASALE, R.-. (2022). Diccionario de la lengua española. In «Diccionario de la lengua española» – Edición del Tricentenario. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://dle.rae.es
Española, R. A. (1984). Diccionario de autoridades. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://apps2.rae.es/DA.html
Moliner, M., & Esteban, J. D. (2012). Diccionario de uso del español. Gredos Editorial S.A.
Moreno Gomez, J. (1998). American products and Andalusian cuisine: the gazpacho. Isla de Arriarán: Cultural and Scientific Review, 11, 423–440.
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