Summer fruit is back! I had my first nectarines of the season last week, and now I’m ready for more. I enjoy virtually all fruit individually, and one of my favorite indulgences is fruit salad. This summertime treat is a staple in my home, but not all fruit is created equal for this purpose—some fruit is just meant to be eaten alone.
Let’s start with bananas, or better yet, let’s not. My husband and I disagree vehemently on this. In my opinion, bananas do not belong in fruit salad. They turn brown, they get slimy—leave them out. If you must include them, as my husband requires, put them in right before serving. Under no circumstance should they be left to hang out with the other fruit in the serving bowl.
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Apples. Once cut, apples have a limited shelf life before turning brown. In my book, omit entirely, but if you must have them, use tart apples and add a little bit of lemon juice to preserve the color. Use them only in winter.
Honeydew, or as they are called in my house, honeydon’t. There’s a reason that the end of the fruit salad always has too many of these. In my experience, no one really likes honeydew. It’s there for politeness to give cantaloupe some company. There are plenty of better green fruit alternatives. Kiwi or green grapes add the same color and offer a far better flavor.
Oranges. I don’t love citrus in my fruit salad unless the fruit salad is entirely citrus. It winds up being too tart. Save citrus salads for winter.
My perfect summertime fruit salad contains various combinations of the following: peaches (without skin), nectarines, pineapple, mango, plums, pluots, grapes, kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and pineapple. Watermelon is permitted only when it is exceptionally sweet.
Some people put orange juice, whipped cream, mint, or a hint of vanilla in there to add flavor, but I like it plain. If you stick with these combinations and use really fresh fruit, you won’t want or need it. Serve in a glass serving bowl so you can see all of the beautiful colors of summer.
