Sweet or savory, fruit soups add chill to summer meals

As August slips by, I try to cling to every sunny minute. Give me the dishes that require nothing more than the freshest local produce, good spices and no-cook recipes that I can whip up in my bare feet, music blasting away.

The best summer meals are all about ease and simplicity. Lately I’ve been making cold soups, whirred together in the blender, for a light dinner or appetizer to sip with cocktails out of a pretty cup. (Especially when it’s too hot for crackers and cheese.) The only...