The first time we tried this soup was at the Hourglass Tavern at West 46 Street in New York. It was a very hot and humid August evening, the soup was deliciously refreshing and we immediately asked for the recipe. The restaurant only has seven tables. During lunch hours an hourglass is turned over when the first course arrives. Within an hour you must have finished your lunch!

1.Divide the melon, remove the seeds and transfer the pulp to a food processor.

2.Add the cucumber and process for 2-4 minutes until the mixture is almost smooth.

3.Add the liqueur and leave the soup in the refrigerator until it is thoroughly chilled.

4.Serve as is, on a hot simmer day even with some ice cubes.

When it is really hot (by European standards) this soup is an interesting alternative to gazpacho. If you skip the cucumber, the soup becomes a wonderful dessert. If you prepare a large quantity, it can be preserved in the deep freeze. On a very hot day it is best to thaw the deep frozen soup only until you have an icy slurry.