Cantaloupe Soup & Hauck Cellar's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Pairing

The 2011 Hauck Cellars Sauvignon Blanc has beautiful citrusy notes as well as tropical notes like pineapple and melon.  A little lime zest accent floats along to a bright, crisp finish.  You'll love this wine with a tropical fruit salsa (mango, pineapple salsa, for example) with a piece of grilled salmon or halibut.  It's also great with soft goat cheeses like Laura Chanel, and you can't go wrong pairing it with sushi or spicy foods like fish tacos. 

For an elegant spring into summer first course, try this cantaloupe soup.  I love it--especially topped with a piece of brown sugar bacon for that salty, meaty contrast to the bright, sweet soup.  This recipe is so easy--it barely qualifies as cooking.  In fact, all you need is a blender! 

Ingredients:

1 cantaloupe, halved, seeded & cut into chunks, 2 tbsp honey, 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 5-10 mint leaves, 1 tbsp dark rum.  For Topping:  1/2 C sour cream, zest of 1 lime, 1 tbsp lime juice, 4 thin strips of bacon rolled in brown sugar and broiled (optional, but awesome!)

Directions:

Combine cantaloupe, honey, lemon juice, & mint in blender.  Blend:)  Taste--then add more lemon or honey if necessary.  Add, a pinch of sea salt and the rum.  Stir, taste--add more rum??? careful there, too much can ruin it..  Refridgerate until ready to serve.

Topping:  Combine, 1/2 C sour cream, lime zest and lime juice.  Stir, taste--add a tsp honey if needed. 

To Serve:  ladel soup into bowl (I use tea cups on saucers, so everyone gets a smaller portion of soup).  Make a quenelle of the sour cream...or a blob, and place it in the middle of the bowl.  Garnish with chopped mint, and lay a slice of bacon over the top, but not in the soup.  You could also crumble the bacon on top of the soup.

Enjoy with a chilled glass of 2011 Hauck Cellar's Sauvignon Blanc!