Chilled Charentais Melon Soup with Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 bottle champagne
• 2 vanilla beans, split
• 2 canela (cinnamon sticks)
• 1 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons lavender
• 2 medium charentais melons (can substitute orange flesh honeydew melon, cantaloupe, or Tuscan cantaloupe melon), peeled and seeded
• 2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 South African baby pineapples, peeled and diced small
• 1 strawberry papaya, peeled, seeded and diced small
• 1 sprite melon, peeled, seeded and diced small

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan, place the champagne, vanilla bean, canela, honey, and lavender. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Strain through a strainer and chill in an ice bath. Reserve.
4. In a bar blender, place peeled charentais melons, 1/2 cup champagne syrup and yogurt; blend until smooth.
5. Strain through a fine mesh china strainer. Place in refrigerator before serving.
6. Mix pineapple, papaya and sprite melon together.
7. Add 1/2 cup of champagne syrup and let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
8. To serve, in a champagne glass, pour charentais melon soup leaving about 1/2 inch from the top of the glass.
9. Add 1 tablespoon of pineapple salsa.
10. Add toasted coconut and lavender top. Serve chilled.