Cantaloupe Curls

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup dry red wine
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 California bay leaf
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. pink peppercorns, crushed
2 ripe cantaloupes, chilled

Instructions:

1. To make spiced wine, simmer all ingredients except cantaloupes in a one-quart heavy saucepan until reduced to about 1/4-cup, 10-15 minutes.
   
2. Remove from heat and cool in saucepan set in a bowl of ice and cold water. Discard bay leaf.
   
3. Halve each cantaloupe and discard seeds.
   
4. Scoop out curls from melon halves with an ice cream scoop (not one with a lever) and divide curls among bowls along with any juices.
   
5. Just before serving, drizzle each serving with about a tablespoon of cooled spiced wine.