Cold Soup

Chili powder and chopped jalapeño add a touch of heat to this smooth appetizer. Try sprinkling it with chopped red onion for some crunch and color.

To start, offer a seafood appetizer, such as chilled cocktail shrimp with herbed mayonnaise. What to drink: Pour Champagne or sparkling wine throughout the meal.

This uncooked soup isn't for the timid — raw garlic, ginger, and shallot impart strong flavors. Unless you can get freshly made vegetable juice from your local juice bar, you will need an electric juicer to make the tomato or carrot juice. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

A dash of curry powder transforms this cool fruit soup into a sweetly savory first course.

This recipe makes more honeydew ice than you'll need for the soup, but it's also terrific spooned into our plum limeade. And this dish, like the limeade, is one that you'll want to serve right away so that the soup won't begin to darken.

This elegant first course is ideal for entertaining, because everything can be prepared a day ahead (just chop up all the toppings and refrigerate them until ready to use).

The riper the tomatoes, the better the flavor of this delicate consommé. To clarify it, we've used the traditional French method of creating an egg-white "raft," which attracts particles from the simmering broth and is then discarded. Though the consommé is served cold, it is not jellied.

This recipe calls for sweet Gewürztraminer, but any other sweet white wine (excluding dessert wines) should do. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Cold pea soup is a classic spring starter for a sophisticated English dinner. While mint is the time-honored herb of choice, tarragon makes for an appealing change.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Excellent served cold in summer, the soup also makes a soothing hot starter during the colder months.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This variation on the classic chilled leek and potato soup includes a cucumber-chive puree, which adds a refreshing and flavorful twist.

Zucchini gives a summery twist to the classic leek-and-potato soup; this new take on an old favorite is served at Quisiana.