Improving on watermelon no easy feat except for this gazpacho

Some foods are perfect just as Mother Nature made them - there's no need to lift a finger. No need to improve on them.

I would put a juicy slice of watermelon on a hot summer day near the top of that list. Why mess with perfection?

Because it's perfection, I always skim past the watermelon soup or salad recipes that crop up this time of year.

But this recipe for Watermelon Gazpacho caught my eye. Maybe the addition of mint, red onion and poblano did it. Or perhaps it was the garnish of chopped watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumber that changed my mind.

Or maybe it was because I bought a huge watermelon that I couldn't possibly finish before it went bad. In any case, this recipe is super easy and a pleasing addition to a summer meal. With the chopped fruit and cucumber, it's sort of a half soup/half salad course.

The hardest part about making this recipe is selecting and cutting the watermelon.

You may already know this, but just a reminder:

• Check the field spot. Turn the melon upside down. If you find a yellow spot, that's where the watermelon rested on the ground before it was harvested. A yellow spot means it spent more time on the vine and should be sweeter. Conversely, a white spot means it was picked too soon and didn't reach its peak ripeness.

• Check the stem. A green one means it may have been harvested too early. A dry one usually means it is a ripe watermelon.

• Try the thumping technique! Tap the melon with your hand or fist. A ripe one should have a deep sound (think tenor). A hollow or flat sound is likely to be overripe.

• When cutting a watermelon into cubes, cut off the ends. Stand the melon on its end and begin slicing the thick rind away in downward strokes until you have it all removed. Make sure you don't leave any white on the melon, which has a bitter taste. Then slice into vertical pieces, which will be easy to cut into chunks.

If you want to cut the melon into watermelon "fries" - reasonably-sized pieces for snacking - check out this Rachael Ray video with a brilliant way to do this.

• M. Eileen Brown is the Daily Herald's vice president of sales and marketing and an incurable soup-a-holic. She specializes in vegetarian soups and blogs at soupalooza.com/.

Watermelon Gazpacho

4 cups chopped seedless watermelon

3 tablespoons diced red onion

1 tablespoon mint leaves

2 tablespoons chopped poblano pepper

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Toppings for the soup

1 cup diced watermelon

1 cup diced cantaloupe

1 cup diced peeled cucumber

4 mint sprigs

Place all the ingredients except the oil into the blender. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Then cover and puree until very smooth.

Once blended, slowly pour the olive oil into the gazpacho while the blender is running. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mix the diced watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumber in a bowl. Pour the watermelon gazpacho base into serving bowls, then top the soup with the diced toppings. Top with a mint sprig.

Note: Stir the gazpacho before serving as it has a tendency to separate a bit.

Serves 4

Adapted by M. Eileen Brown