Chilled Melon Soup

This soup reminds me of summer. It's easy, cool, colorful, and refreshing. It is perfect for a bridal shower, baby shower, or ladies luncheon; men like it too. The presentation will bring out your artistic side. Preparation time does not include chilling. Easy to double or triple. NOTE: I recommend using a wide rimmed shallow soup bowl (if they are available to you). The surface area is larger and gives you a broader "canvas" to create your pattern. What ever style bowl you have will work, YOU are the artist with this recipe, not the bowl. Have Fun...

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  cups honeydew melon, peeled and cubed
• 3  cups cantaloupe, peeled and cubed
• 1⁄4 cup vodka, chilled (divided)
• 1⁄4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (divided)
• 4  teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 1  cup strawberry, sliced
•  fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Have all your fruit prepared and chilled.
2. Place honeydew melon into a blender and process until smooth, (do not over process), pour into a bowl and set aside.
3. Rinse out blender and process the cantaloupe until smooth; pour into a bowl.
4. To each bowl of puréed melon; add 2 tablespoons chilled vodka, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons lime juice, stir well, cover and chill.
5. Place sliced strawberries in blender and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl; cover and chill.
6. To serve:
7. Pour 1/2 cup of cantaloupe mixture into each of 4 individual bowls.
8. Pour 1/2 cup of honeydew mixture in center of cantaloupe mixture.
9. Dollop each serving with 2 tablespoons of puréed strawberries in the center.
10. Take a wooden tooth pick, place it below the surface of the strawberry purée and without lifting it, pull it to the edge of the bowl, passing through the honeydew and cantaloupe purées. Repeat this all the way around the bowl. For an even more decorative pattern, starting from the edge of the bowl (in-between the stripes you have just made), place the tooth pick into the cantaloupe purée and pull it in the opposite direction to the center of the bowl, passing through the honeydew purée ending in the strawberry purée. You can do more simple decorative pattens by making random swirls, waves, or wiggly lines. It is a blank canvas, have fun.
11. Garnish with a sprig of mint. (optional).