Today we are going to talk about how to prepare a good fruit salad , because the phrase “fruit salad” may sound old-fashioned, but… do you know why it has been in vogue for so many years? Well, because a well-made fruit salad is delicious, for crying out loud.
Summer is the season for fruit salad, not only because juicy, fresh fruit is the most appealing thing, but also because we have delicious seasonal fruit at its best and at a good price, such as melon, watermelon, peaches, apricots and others.
Fruit salad doesn't have to be the refrigerator's sweeper, collecting all those fruits that have had their fill, unless you like very ripe fruits.
Tips for a foolproof fruit salad
Before suggesting several ideas for fruit salad combinations, we will give you some general advice on how to turn a random fruit mix into a delicious fruit salad :
- Don't put an endless variety of fruits - I generally think that less is more in fruit salads, that is, it's better to use only 3 or 4 varieties, but that go well together, for example, all stone fruits. Have you ever come across people who choose some fruits and leave others in the bowl? If the fruits are at their best and well chosen, this won't happen to you.
- The cut matters - don't put huge chunks that won't fit in your mouth or make a mince that ruins the whole structure of the fruit and turns the fruit salad into a smoothie . And make sure the pieces of the different fruits are as even as possible. Use a good sharp knife on a board that collects the juices (don't throw them away, add them to the fruit salad!) or a dicer that cuts the fruit in a flash and leaves it perfect for adding to the fruit salad.
- If you use juice to add some liquid to the fruit salad, it is best to use freshly squeezed natural juice , like nectar, or juice packed with sugar. With a good juicer, it takes no more than five minutes to juice the fruit.
- Fruit salads for adults can be enlivened with a little alcohol of your choice. Orange liqueurs, which are a classic in fruit salads, such as Cointreau and Triple Sec, go well. A splash of Calvados is also great with fruit salads that contain apple, as it is a liqueur made from this fruit. But some addicts even add whisky, vodka or gin to fruit salads.
- Be careful with some fruits that tend to become very soft or oxidize excessively once cut, such as bananas. If we want to add them, we should do so at the last minute. It is true that the liquid in the fruit salad usually protects the fruit from the air, but not enough.
To make fruit salad, you will need a sharp Opinel knife, a special fruit and vegetable knife, a juice collecting board , the Gefu dicer and a good, fast manual juicer or an electric one like the Juice Expert .
Taking into account all the above issues, it is possible to make a fruit salad in good quantities in advance and consume it throughout the day or even (depending on the fruits and juices used) from one day to the next, but not beyond that. I am not going to say that the vitamins are spoiled, but the consistency and flavour are somewhat spoiled.Suggestions for fruit salad combinations
- Stone fruits only: peaches, apricots, plums and cherries.
- Melon of various kinds with watermelon.
- Citrus with strawberries
- Red fruits with grapes
- Citrus with pineapple
- Pineapple with kiwi
- Red fruits such as raspberries, cherries and blackberries, with other more neutral fruits , such as apples or pears.
Fruit salad is a great way to convince children who are not really big fans of fruit to eat it, even if only in summer. The variety of colours can help with this. They won't be able to resist a colourful fruit salad served in an attractive salad bowl or in cute individual bowls (you can also use soup tureens ). We can even involve them in preparing the fruit salad with the utensils for little chefs that we have in the shop.
Present your fruit salad in a pretty salad bowl , in some gorgeous Le Creuset tureens , in individual Laura Ashley bowls , in mini-cocottes or in the new Japanese-style Kobe bowls from Le Creuset , and ask your little one to help you prepare it with the Petit Chef kit .
