Chilled Watermelon and Rosé Soup #SoupSwappers

Here we are at the June Soup Saturday Swappers event. Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm started this event and, every month, I get a new array of soup recipes to put in my to-try pile. And this month, Ashley of Cheese Curd in Paradise is hosting as we explore soups featuring cheese.

Ashley writes, "June is Dairy Month and let's celebrate with some cheesy soups! Any type of cheese (or cheese substitute for any non-dairy folks) is the name of the game!"

Here's the line-up of cheesy soups from the #SoupSwappers...

• Ashley, Cheese Curd In Paradise: Pepper Jack Potato and Bacon Soup
• Karen, Karen's Kitchen Stories: Sopa de Queso - Cheese Soup with Chiles and Potato
• Cindy, Cindy's Recipes and Writings: Cheesy Broccoli Pesto Noodle Soup
• Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm: Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Soup
• Camilla , Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Chilled Watermelon and Rosé Soup
• Juli, Pandemonium Noshery: German Cheese and Leek Soup
• Sneha, Sneha's Recipe: Vegetable Garlicky Cottage Cheese Soup
• Sid , Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Chicken Cheezy Soup
• Barrie, Hardly A Goddess: Weeknight Cheeseburger Soup with RealCheese!

Chilled Watermelon and Rosé Soup

I'll be honest: I could give up any food except for cheese. Maybe. My family are full-blown caseophiles. We plan stops on road trips to incorporate cheese tasting!

One of my favorite stops is The Cheeseboard in Berkeley. Even the blackboard, with its meticulously maintained list, is daunting in its length. Then there are the cases and cases of cheese where the only thing stopping me from whispering, "I'll take a little of everything," was my wallet.

It's a cheese-lover's dream realized. Gorgeous rounds and wedges. Pungent to floral. Draped in cabbage or wrapped in straw. Bliss! That was the first place I ever saw - and tried - Camilla cheese.

Camilla, a young goat's-milk disk cheese by Italian cheesemaker Caseificio Reale, has just a little cow's cream added to give it lushness.

But this post isn't about cheese. Well, it's not just about cheese. I was challenged to make a soup with cheese. That is not so much a challenge as we've been pushing 90 degrees here on California's central coast. And I was not about to turn on my stove.

So this is a chilled soup in the style of Spanish gazpacho. It was perfect for an al fresco dinner that was mostly no-cook. It's effervescent, fruity, refreshing, and the perfect sip to stay cool this season. You can use any kind of cheese for this that crumbles or chunks. I used a raw milk feta for this version; the tang of the cheese counters the sweetness of the soup well.

Ingredients

Soup

• 5 C cubed organic watermelon (I made this with a pink one, but I've done it with yellow as well)
• juice from 1 organic lemon
• 1/3 C Rosé (I used a Rosé of Cabernet Pfeffer)
• ½" knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• pinch of red pepper chile flakes
• freshly ground salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish

• organic mint leaves, torn
• feta cheese, crumbled
• whole pistachios, shelled

Procedure

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients. Process until the mixture is light and airy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. Transfer soup to a large container, cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to marry.

Serve in small bowls or glasses with mint, cheese, and pistachios on the side. Let diners garnish the soup as they wish.