Chilean Melon con Vino: Chilled Honeydew and White Wine Cooler with Mint

Make a simple syrup: combine the sugar and water in a small pan, warm over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then cool completely.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe honeydew melon (about 4 lb), chilled
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine, well chilled
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 large handful fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• Plenty of ice

Instructions

1. Make a simple syrup: combine the sugar and water in a small pan, warm over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then cool completely.
2. Halve the melon and scoop out the seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out as many balls as you can and set them aside in a bowl.
3. Scrape the remaining melon flesh from the rinds and blend it smooth with the lime juice and half the mint leaves.
4. Strain the blended melon through a fine sieve into a large pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract every drop.
5. Stir in the cooled syrup, tasting as you go — ripe August melon may need only half of it.
6. Add the melon balls and the remaining mint leaves to the pitcher and chill at least 1 hour.
7. Just before serving, pour in the cold white wine and stir once, gently. Do not stir hard — you want the melon balls suspended, not broken.
8. Fill tall glasses with ice, pour, and make sure each glass gets a few melon balls and a fresh mint sprig.
9. Melon con vino is Chilean summer in a glass, traditionally made by hollowing a melon and serving the wine straight from the rind at a backyard asado. Using a pitcher is the practical version, but the principle is the same: the wine should be plainly dry so the melon supplies all of the sweetness, which only works when the fruit is at its August peak.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 175 kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 21g
• Sodium: 35mg