Fruit in Your Soup

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Fruit in Your Soup

That's right -- put it in a bowl and eat it with a spoon, just as Mother Nature intended.

Recipes by Jean Patterson and Danae Campbell

Succulent peaches, tender strawberries, fragrant cantaloupes, juicy blackberries -- Mother Nature's offerings seem perfect in pies, cobblers, and sorbets, in jams and cakes, or even straight off the vine or tree. But as soup?

Absolutely. When the hammock beckons and the best meals are quick and light, a nutritious, easy-to-prepare fruit soup -- naturally low in fat and calories -- makes an excellent appetizer, light lunch, snack, or dessert. For the freshest flavor, look for the cream of the crop from your local grower or nearest farmers' market.

You can dress up fruit soups, too, with the sophistication of vanilla beans, port wine, or pancetta. Serve your favorite with wine and cheese as the perfect midafternoon repast on a hot summer day.

Time needn't be a burden, either. With a minimum of prep work, fruit soup can chill patiently in the fridge until just before serving. A whirl of the blender, and it's ready. Travels well, too -- a thermos filled with Fresh Cherry-Orange Soup, for example, will become your picnic's new best friend.

Cantaloupe Soup with Port Syrup and Pancetta

Orange-Buttermilk Soup with Blackberry Puree

Strawberry-Champagne Soup

Fresh Cherry-Orange Soup

Tropical Fruit Soup with Pineapple Salsa

Vanilla-Roasted Peach Soup with Cardamom Cream

Jean Patterson has also written for Veggie Life. Danae Campbell writes frequently for the Los Angeles Times.

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