Instructions: I subscribe to this list at work and, of course, my cookbooks are at home so I am always way behind in responding to requests. I thought Id sit down tonight and type out a couple of favourites, well after the fact, but good recipes nonetheless.

This is our all time favourite cold summer soup. It only works with good vine ripened tomatoes, which we only get here in late August and early Sept., not the cardboard substitutes that are sold in the stores at other times of the year.

Peel tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor. You should have 5 cups of fresh tomato puree. Puree cucumber and onion and add to the tomatoes. Stir in the sour cream, season with salt, ginger, pepper, lemon juice and rind.

Halve the cantaloupe. Remove all seeds and either scoop balls out with a melon scoop or peel and cut it into chunks. Toss with the basil and chill soup and melon (separately) for several hours.

To serve, pour soup into chilled bowls and put a few spoonfuls of the melon into each one.

Serves 6.

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