Chilled fruits soups are a wonderful beginning to any meal and are so easy to make! Essentially a aperitif that you can drink with a spoon, what separates a chilled fruit soup from a cocktail is that they are not quite as light and generally have a base of juice and a sparkling wine of some sort. I absolutely adore them and make them whenever I can. Traditionally, they are at their zesty best when the weather is hot and the summer fruit is just bursting with ripeness.

I decide what kind of chilled fruit soup that I'm going to make usually on the morning of a party, when I've gone to the market and seen what's ripe! This is a soup to make with what's in season and with the exception of an apple or pear soup during the Indian summer, I make them pretty exclusively during the warmer moths. There are so many combinations....fresh Queen Anne cherries with a base of white grape juice with a bit of kirsch and Champagne, Fresh watermelon with a touch of chipotle and mint or how about cantaloupe with prosecco and basil! Truly, the combinations are as endless as what you can bring home from your local farmers market or grow in your garden and while I'm at it, I hope that everyone is growing at least a little something this year, even if it's simply a small pot of fresh herbs! It's not only satisfying to grow some of your own food, but pretty great for the environment too!

Choosing the combinations are fun, simply decide on the fruit and then follow your nose! I've been seen many times smelling a ripe cantaloupe and holding up a fragrant bunch of herbs with it to see how the flavors mingled. It's a simple way to do it.....fun too! Once you've chosen the base, then move to the juice. There are so many varieties of good gourmet fruit juice on the market that you can't miss! After you've chosen the base juice, move to the wine! It should be a sparkling wine of some sort, it makes it more fun! Champagne, Cava or Prosecco are good bets and in a pinch an Asti Spumante' will do just fine. Just remember that the Asti is always sweeter, so be sure to take that into consideration!

The recipe that I've chosen to give you today uses an abundance of fresh peaches and a white grape juice base. It's a simple blend a very refreshing for a summers day. Be sure to use the freshest peaches possible and peel them. This is the one step that you don't want to miss. Although I love fruit peels of all types, the silken peaches create an amazingly sensual soup!

For about 12 nice servings you will need:

10 large , very ripe peaches- I have fun mixing the varieties! Peeled, sliced and tossed with about 2 tablespoons of golden agave nectar. Put these in a bowl with a cup and a half of very fresh ripe raspberries and let sit.

4 cups of white grape juice

1/4 teaspoon of Vietnamese cinnamon

A dash (and I really do mean a dash!) of ground cloves

About 8 large genovese basil leaves- finely chopped

1 and a half large jiggers of apricot brandy

1 bottle of Chilled Cava- Freixenet makes a yummy and moderately priced one!


Making the soup is quite simple!

Take all of the ingredients except for the Cava , brandy and the basil leaves and place them in a large saucepan. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, thats it, just enough to soften the peaches a bit more. Taste and decide whether or not to add a bit more of the agave nectar to your taste! Then let cool in the refrigerator.

When chilled sufficiently, add the brandy and puree lightly, either with an immersion blender or a food processor, add the basil and then begin to pour in the Cava, (start with about half of the bottle) Stir gently as it will be foamy for a few minutes and then pour in more if you like it. Add the basil and it's ready to serve!

This is beautiful when served in a flute champagne glass or little glass bowls. A swirled garnish of a bit of creme fraiche thinned with a touch of the agave nectar is a lovely addition as well if you want a bit of a "Peaches and Cream" mouth feel! You could also substitute a touch of fresh Jalapeno for the basil for a bit of a Mexican flavor. these recipes are as limitless as your imagination, so have fun creating your own and be sure to share them with me!