We’re heading south today to visit with dear friends in Nashville! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. Do you have friends whom you wish lived next door so you could do life with them more readily? You have to hold these weekend visits in your heart all year long and call upon the memories when you miss them so much you can’t stand it anymore.
While looking forward to this weekend of memory making, I came across this chilled fruit soup recipe. Just reading it puts me in a Southern frame of mind. It’s the kind of thing I’d like to enjoy on the front porch or back patio on a hot day. The contrasting colored purees sprinkled with diced honeydew and cantaloupe are just lovely (this cries out for clear glass bowls if you have them!).
Open a bottle of sparkling wine, put up your bare feet, and toast to friendship and healthy summer treats!
Summer Fruit Gazpacho
serves 6
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, washed
20 oz. package unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups lime-flavored sparkling water
6 fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips
5 kiwi, peeled
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup finely diced honeydew melon
1 cup finely diced cataloupe
Directions:
1. Place the raspberries and sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Strain through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Transfer to a large bowl and add the sparkling water and mint. Stir to combine.
2. Place the kiwis and lime juice in the food processor and process until smooth.
3. Pour equal amounts of the raspberry puree into six small, chilled soup bowls. Then pour equal amounts of the kiwi-lime juice puree into the middle of the raspberry puree. Sprinkle the honeydew and cantaloupe over each bowl.