leftover MELON! sorbet

it's my first summer back in texas! i'd be lying if i said i hadn't forgotten just how very, very, VERY HOT it can get. but what i'm gaining in thermometer numbers is being made up in other ways: no sticky (stinky!) subway ride; no window units (central air, baby!) and (slightly) less humidity (my makeup actually stays where it's supposed to). so it works out, kind of. (and the a/c in my little car gets COLD.)

the one good thing about summer starting in, oh, MAY, is that the season for summer vegetables and fruits starts much earlier. the corn is amaaaaazing right now, like candy. and we've had beautiful tomatoes for several weeks. and the FRUIT! ohhhhh, the fruit. i'm overwhelmed when i go to the grocery store by the sheer volume of peaches and berries and plums and MELONS! (cue joann worley)

while i'm a huge fan of all things berry (i kind of have to be) and stone fruits rock my world... good lord i love MELONS! i can't get enough of them, for REALS. That sweet, heady, almost floral aroma of a perfectly ripe MELON! gives me such a thrill every time!

but if you're like me, you can't finish a whole MELON! in the time it takes for it to go from perfect to grody mush. throwing away food makes me sad for many reasons, but throwing away something like a once-perfect MELON! ... i can't even think about it.

so to avoid drama, i like to make my leftover MELON! into sorbet... it keeps for a couple of weeks (or i guess it does; it's never lasted that long in my house) and the flavor is NEARLY as awesome as a freshly sliced one.

Choose your favorite kind of MELON!; I've been nuts about Galias this year, but i've also made this with honeydew and cantaloupe. Watermelon would be great too, just strain the puree to made sure all of the seeds are gone. I also use white wine or leftover champagne in my sorbets (keeps them from freezing too solid); you certainly don't have to. Brewed mint tea would be a perfect substitute, or just use water.

Leftover MELON! Sorbet

Makes about 1 quart

6 cups MELON! (in 1-inch cubes)

1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons lime juice

Combine all the ingredients in a blender (you may have to work in batches). Blend to a mostly smooth liquid. Refrigerate until cold (about 2 hours), then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the directions for your particular machine (mine took about 15 minutes). Have some right away, then cover and store the rest in the freezer.