284180 Wed Mar 29 19:58:06 -0800 2006 18 31 Home Cooking 0 1518642 It's certainly not the best season to be trying for a first class fruit salad, but I hope you've got some ideas that will help me make a really delicious fruit salad. On hand I've got: Dried fruits: medjool dates, apricots and figs. Canned: pineapple chunks. Frozen: bing cherries, mixed berries, blueberries. Pantry: Honey. Fresh strawberries and green seedless grapes seem strangely inexpensive right now. The hostess only specified that this fruit salad should feed 20 and contain no bananas. Let's hear about your most divine fruit salad. Thanks! Wed Mar 29 19:58:06 -0800 2006 0 Niki Rothman 1 1518643 I just included stuff I've got on hand in case something might work with your ideas. I'm totally willing to buy whatever's readily available that would be necessary. Wed Mar 29 20:02:43 -0800 2006 1518642 0 Niki Rothman 2 1518646 When the fruit is nothing special (not like perfect summertime melon) I usually make a little syrup spiked with liquor (creme de cassis is nice, or grand marnier) and macerate the fruit. You could serve w/a little toasted coconut or nuts? I'm starting to see strawberries in the market, I like them with kiwi and orange (great colors). I'm not a fan of mixing fresh fruit w/dried. Wed Mar 29 20:16:49 -0800 2006 1518643 0 Aimee 2 1518682 Just saw fresh pineapple at Costco for $2.49 each. They were good sized and looked pretty good. Also the Kiwi's looked good and nice size. Thu Mar 30 01:08:25 -0800 2006 1518643 0 theSauce 3 1518691 Speaking of pineapple--presentation means a lot with fruit salad. I was at an event where a pineapple was cut in half through the stem and placed on a platter. Skewers of fruit (strawberries, melon, pineapple) were placed into the pineapple, all over; was very pretty--perfect for a buffet table. Thu Mar 30 09:09:50 -0800 2006 1518682 0 Funwithfood 1 1518650 You're missing some citrus and some melon. I also would skip the dried fruits. Some frozen berries might stain the pineapple. I also like a crunch from apples or pears...but I would put those in at the last minute before serving. For Thanksgiving I served my fruit salad in oranges I cut in half, cleaned out and sliced a little piece of bottom so they lay flat. Wed Mar 29 20:31:21 -0800 2006 1518642 0 TrishUntrapped 1 1518652 A minted simple syrup makes a lovely dressing if you don't have fabulous fruit. Here is one for when you can get good tomatoes and avocadoes: Tomato, avocado and papaya with a lime-chili vinaigrette...Proportions depend on what you've got and I just make the vinaigrette up to taste, but people rave about it. Wed Mar 29 20:37:14 -0800 2006 1518642 0 Snackish 1 1518661 I made a waldorf salad a few years ago for a luncheon that was a hit, I think I used a Fanny Farmer Cookbook recipe. As I recall it was this time of year. The other 'salad' that comes to mind is ambrosia and pineapple works well in it. It is more like a kids dessert but it is popular with some folks. Wed Mar 29 21:34:33 -0800 2006 1518642 0 Tracy L. 1 1518665 It's strawberry season here and I've been getting fantastic ones from the farmer's market, and mediocre ones cheap from the grocery store (like 10 pints for $10 cheap). The mediocre ones are really good macerated in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, and it makes them look redder. I'd also stay away from canned pineapple -- I'm not a fan of canned fruit in general. You could also maybe do a type of haroset -- with some dried fruits, walnuts, apples, and maybe throw in berries for interest. Wed Mar 29 21:51:32 -0800 2006 1518642 0 Amuse Bouches 2 1518738 Fruit need some acid to make it sing.Try grating lime zest (with the micro plane)and then squeeze in lots of juice. Don't be shy with the juice, you just about can't over do it. Another lucious variation is to add a few tablespoons of good quality orange juice concentrate(undiluted).I'd add lime to this too. God, I can't live without limes. Sometimes you can get key limes at TJ or Whole Foods which are superior. Also a little pomegranate molasses from the middle eastern grocery would be fab. Thu Mar 30 19:43:13 -0800 2006 1518665 0 Miss Claudy 1 1518673 Where I am (New England), I would either make 1) Orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, lemon and lime segments dressed with champagne or 2) Various fresh tropical fruits (pineapple, kiwi, mango if I could find a decent one, ditto for papaya, orange, etc.) dressed with dark rum, a little lime juice and some chopped fresh mint. Strawberries are actually nice in this if they are good now in your area (we won't have decent ones for months). Sometimes I do the latter on skewers, which looks snazzy. I wouldn't use any canned or frozen fruit in salad, myself, unless someone has a good recipe that purees the frozen fruit for a dressing. Link: http://seasonalcook.blogspot.com Wed Mar 29 23:22:33 -0800 2006 1518642 0 curiousbaker 2 1518748 If you are near a Trader Joe's consider their frozen pineapple for your tropical salad. I think the brand is Del Sol---it's probably on their own label as much of their frozen stuff is. The pineapple they sell is some special kind that is extra-sweet, doesn't burn your mouth, is remarkably good. Also it's cut into smaller pieces than some frozen pineapple that comes in big chunks. Fri Mar 31 11:59:48 -0800 2006 1518673 0 N Tocus 1 1518715 My secret ingredient for fruit salad is Chambord liqueur. The intense berry flavor of the Chambord brings out the fruitiness of everything else. It's also great for boosting the flavor of not-so-ripe fruit. Thu Mar 30 12:18:32 -0800 2006 1518642 0 TorontoJo 2 1518723 I find that a little simple syrup mixed with Chambord and just barely heated makes one fantastic soak for berries....blueberries especially. If you can keep the cook out of them. Thu Mar 30 14:10:15 -0800 2006 1518715 0 danna 3 1518735 If I'm making fruit salad for 20 as a side dish, I'm figuring on a gallon of fruit salad = 3/4 cup servings. So about how much Chambord and how much simple syrup would you use? And how long would you soak the berries in it? Thanks! Thu Mar 30 18:13:58 -0800 2006 1518723 0 Niki Rothman 4 1518759 I would say about 1/2 as much Chambord as simple syrup, and enough of the total to come about 1/3 of the way up your berries in the pan. I just shake/stir occasionally. I would marinate 30 min to an hour. I would not do this to the whole salad, I don't think, just the berries so you don't change the color of any lighter fruit. Sorry, I know that's kinda off the cuff. I'm a fairly random cook! Mon Apr 03 12:02:11 -0700 2006 1518735 0 danna 1 1518720 Niki, I find that fresh mint leaves are a nice tough. Also, if you can find it locally, Perel's Blood Orange Vinegar livens things up a bit. Thu Mar 30 13:48:01 -0800 2006 1518642 0 joypirate 1 1518739 I know you want to use what you have on hand...but if you have a change of heart and feel like shopping you can do a tropical salad. I have made this using fresh mangoes , pinneapples, kiwi, citrus fruits all available now, and then add some canned fruits from Thailand, such as jack fruit, mangosteen, lychee. The mystery fruits add something exotic, but the bulk of the flavor is pinneapple , which is generally a popular fruit....large flake coconut and honey, mint garnish.... Thu Mar 30 19:46:07 -0800 2006 1518642 0 Ciaolette 2 1518743 Actually, no - I don't want/need to use what I have on hand. Just included that list in case they gave anyone ideas. Your salad sounds lovely - thanks. Thu Mar 30 20:51:33 -0800 2006 1518739 0 Niki Rothman