Chunky Berry Soup, AKA Marak Fruit Roll-Up

This is a luscious summer soup, probably our favorite.  I found the recipe in the Inqy.  Eventually I realized that the strawberries were from Watsonville, CA and that the PA strawberry season is short and precedes the blueberry season.  Now I watch for the strawberries very closely, and with luck, like this year - you can snag strawberries at their end and blueberries at their beginning.
A perfect alternative is to substitute about 3 or 4 peeled, sliced ripe peaches.  You get the same texture and the same spectacular color, and the peach and blueberry season are in tandem here in the mid-Atlantic. I often double this recipe, since leftovers are so good.  Like with gazpacho, it's important to make it early enough so that it can chill for 5-6 hours.

1 pint blueberries, rinsed.  Pull off stems.
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered,  **OR** 3 or 4 ripe peeled  peaches
1 c. white grape juice (purple works, too)
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/3 c. water
1 T + 2 t cornstarch
1/4 to 1/2 sugar

If you're using peaches, pour hot or boiling water over them and let them sit a few minutes.  The skins will slide off.
Place blueberries, strawberries or peaches, grape juice and lemon juice into a medium sauce pan, cover.  Bring to a brisk boil over high heat. [If using an induction cooktop, let it boil for 3-4 minutes. It comes to the boil so fast, the berries don't pop.] With a gas oven top, that takes awhile; with our new electric stove, it's really fast.  The only thing that takes any real time in this recipe is slicing the strawberries.

Remove from heat. In a measuring cup, mix the water and cornstarch into a smooth paste and stir it into the berry mixture. Return to heat, and quickly bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  This is the neat part - stir for one minute, and the liquid thickens and glistens.  Sweeten to taste with sugar.

Chill thoroughly - for at least 5 to 6 hours. The color deepens. 

Garnish with chopped fresh mint, sliced fresh fruit.  This is a deep, gorgeous color so serve it in bowls which will show that off!  It is refreshing, beautiful, and the lemon juice gives it a lovely tartness which tingles a bit on the tongue.  MMMMM.  The Fruit Roll-Up moniker came from Tasha, at Zach's bar mitzvah, when we served this.

This is DAT's favorite cold soup. Always makes him happy.