We've pared down the recipe to one third of its original size. According to the "Soup Yourself: 50 Simple Yet Sublime Recipes from the Eastside Cafe" cookbook, the six-cantaloupe recipe makes a "big pot, about 8-10 servings." We found it made 8-10 really, really big servings, so you may well want to reduce the proportions.

The tip for selecting cantaloupes was right on: all of the melons I chose were sweet, juicy, and perfect. In fact, it was all I could do to keep from stuffing most of it into my face. As a veteran of the Kerbey Lane fruit-cutting militia, I deftly cut the cantaloupe according to the recommended method, but for you neophytes, here's a more detailed explanation. Cut off both ends of the fruit so it's flat on either side. Then set it flat side down and slice off the rind top-to-bottom all the way around. Voila! (By the way, all of these fruit scraps will give you an excellent excuse to start a compost pile.)

Other than cutting up the cantaloupe, this recipe was a cinch to make. And since I'd stored all the ingredients in the fridge overnight, I didn't even have to wait for it to chill. It was refreshing and pretty--be sure to garnish it with the leftover mint. Blended with frozen strawberries, the leftovers make a delicious smoothie.--Nikol Lohr