This is one of my favorite summer soups. Sweet, cold, wonderful. It can be a lovely, light starter. It can be dessert. It can be the whole damn meal, with some fruit as garnish. Is clam chowder that versatile? Don't be ridiculous!

COLD CANTALOUPE AND ALMOND SOUP

• 1/2 c. whole raw almonds
• 1.5 c. water
• The flesh of 1 cantaloupe
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (be generous, the soup is sweet)
• small pinch salt

Spread the almonds in a single layer on a roasting pan and toast in a 350F oven (don't preheat). The almonds are done when they suddenly become incredibly almond-y smelling. Leap to take them out…they burn immediately after they smell great.

Transfer the almonds to a blender. Add water. This will result in exciting noises and some of the hot almonds to explode. Blend until all of the almonds are finely ground. You will know this state because your blender will stop sounding like you put rocks into it.

Pour the almond-water mixture into a sieve set over a bowl and separate the liquid from the solids. Press hard on the solids, there will be more of them than you are expecting.

Return the almond liquid to the cleaned blender (make sure there are no solids remaining in the blender). Add all the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Chill.

Serve in pretty bowls. Garnish with mint or thin slices of cantalope or a pretty berry (or several) or a handful of chocolate shavings. Makes about 4 servings.

Source: I really don't recall. I've been making this every summer since medical school. I'm guessing that I started with a mid-late 1990s Gourmet recipe but it might have been in the New York Times.