When it is scorching hot and the air is heavy, my culinary inspiration level usually hovers around zero. And as I mentioned before, pastry is not my forte but at the end of the meal most people are expecting dessert. Go figure. So on such a day baking a dessert, or anything really, is out and there are just so many times I can serve sorbet or fresh fruit splashed with Grand Marnier. Enter: Melon Soup. In addition to dessert, this can also double as a cool starter on a steamy summer day. My version of this recipe is about as simple as you can get. I don’t add a lot of ingredients because I prefer my melon soup to taste like, oh I don't know, melon! Serve them in bright colored bowls for a casual meal or try a martini glass for a more elegant, formal setting.
The melons I found here were simply called Melon Jaune d'Espagne or yellow melon from Spain. They resembled Crenshaw melons though not as sweet. The Crenshaw, one of my favorites, is a hybrid between the casaba and Persian melon. A yellowish-green skin protects it's pink-salmon-ish flesh and can grow to ten pounds. They are in season from July thru October but peak in August and September. I recommend giving your melons a quick rinse before cutting them so no dirt or such gets on the flesh.
• 2 melons
• 1 tbsp honey
• squeeze of lemon or lime
• 20+ mint leaves (or however many you like for your taste)
• sugar to taste
1. wash melons, cut in half, scoop out seeds. slice into wedges and cut of skin. cut into cubes.