Cold Soup Calamity

Alright, maybe it's not a calamity, but I've now tried 3 cold soups (all from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder & Meredith Deeds) and only 1 has turned out well. To be fair, I have been fudging the recipes - substituting ingredients on hand for what's requested in the cookbook, and I had the same problem with hot soups (several duds before I got the hang of them and they all started turning out well) but still, it's a little disappointing. I'd hoped my hot soup skills would help with cold soups. Nope.

The first I tried, carrot soup, tasted better hot than cold. Of the second and third (done together for the dual tone bowl pictured) I liked the bloody mary soup (my husband doesn't like tomatoes, so he was lukewarm about it) and the avocado soup was a total bomb.

Who'd have considered avocados are so thick that blending up the requested 4 would need more than the 3 cups of water the recipe asked for? I ended up adding another cup or two, greatly watering down the flavorings. In the end, it was tasteless and creamy. Though, when mixed 1 part to three of the bloody mary soup it gave it a pleasant creaminess that made both taste better. So the cookbook's suggestion to pair those was a good one. :)

And spooning the two soups into bowls at the same time did create a nice presentation.

With 18 cold soups in the book I'm sure to find something else I like before I have to return it to the library. I think I'll try the cucumber soup next - and make fewer changes to the recipe.

Are there any cold soup recipes you know that taste great, or should be avoided?

Here's the Bloody Mary Soup recipe from the book:

2 cans San Marzano tomatoes (28 0z/796 ml)
1 cup beek or chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped green onions [I used red onions]
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vodka [I omitted this]
2 tbsp prepared horseradish
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp salt
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp black peper
1 lb chilled salad shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a food processor or blender, in batches, puree tomtoes [and everything but shrimp and cilantro] until smooth. Transfer to a large pitcher, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Thin with more stock or water, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

2. Pour into chilled bowls and garnish with shrimp and cilantro.

And here are some proper reviews of this cookbook if you're interested.
O Chef, Cooking Nook.com, Hub Pages, Cookbooks 4 Every Kitchen, Recipes For Life Today