Instructions: Cut the tomatoes, one type at a time, into 1/2 inch dice and put them into separate bowls. With your hands, squeeze the tomatoes to release as much juice as possible. Keeping the various tomatoes separate, pass the juice and pulp through the medium blade of a food mill (one smaller than the seeds). Turn the mill slowly, exerting downward pressure. The consistency of the juiced tomatoes will vary, depending on the ripeness and variety of the tomatoes. The three soups should be slightly thicker than heavy cream, and their consistencies, if too heavy, should be equalized with a little cold water. To keep the soups separate when served in a single bowl, similar consistencies are critical.

Mix the diced cucumber, onion, and pepper together, divide the mixture in three and add one-third to each soup. To each soup, add 1/16 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, and add salt and pepper to taste. Place each container of soup

In another larger gowl, and pack ice around it. Pour water over the ice and refrigerate. At the same time, put six large, flat-style soup bowls in the refrigerator to chill.

It is best to serve this soup at 40 degrees F., 1 1/2 to 2 hours after it has been made. It is at this point that the diced veggies give their flavor over to the soup and blend and harmonize with the tomatoes. Using two ladles, one in each hand, scoop up equal amounts of each soup (figure 1/3 c per ladle) and simultaneously pour into opposite sides of each chilled bowl. Ladle in the third soup at the line between the first two so as to have each soup in one third of the bowl.

Serves 6 to 8

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