It is hard to believe summer has wound down and I am using the last of my green beans from my Hands and Hearts CSA, but I am! This cold soup has a consistency close to that of gazpacho. Creamy with texture. The pepper in this soup makes it a little spicy, a nice twist on a cold soup. Perfect for these late-fall work afternoons.
1 ½ pounds very fresh green beans
2 cups milk
½ cup half and half
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives, optional, but highly recommended!
Milk and 1/2 & 1/2 
Steaming the beans!
Rinse the green beans (the bean in this photo are a flat green bean from Affinity Farm in Moscow, Idaho, any fresh green bean will work in this recipe). Remove stems and strings. Chop beans into 1-inch pieces. Steam until bright green and tender enough to puree. Be careful not to fully cook the beans! Puree beans in a food processor.
Heat milk until hot, but not scalded. Add the pureed green beans, half and half, salt and pepper. Season to taste.
If the soup is not as smooth as you would like, you can use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot! Cool slightly. Move to storage container or bowl and refrigerate until cold.
Puree in food processor. 
Second puree, in the pot, with immersion blender.
Serve chilled soup with chopped chives or other fresh herbs.
This recipe is an adaptation of Mollie Katzen’s Cream of Fresh Green Bean Soup, from her book The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.