It’s happened again. I throw together a fruit salad and someone begs me for the recipe. Truth is I really just make fruit salads up from whatever is in season at the market. That is the key: seasonal produce. In this salad, I started with a ripe, juicy pear, cored, peel on, in the bottom of a pretty serving bowl. On top of that went pieces of a sweet and juicy navel orange to keep the pear from browning. Then a surprise element: 3 ripe Italian prunes, pitted and sliced. Crunchy black seedless grape halves and pomegranate seeds next. Gorgeous plump blackberries and raspberries on top. The magic happens with what comes next: zest of a lime, splash of orange juice, splash of maple syrup and a chiffonade of fresh mint leaves. A quick toss and voilà! Autumn fruit salad. Dig in!
Ingredients for Autumn Fruit Salad:
1 cello blackberries
1 cello raspberries
1 bosc pear, cored and diced
3 Italian plums, halved, pitted, sliced thinly
1 navel orange, peeled, segmented and cut in bite-sized pieces
1 c black seedless grapes, halved
1/2 c pomegranate seeds
2 T mint leaves, chiffonade cut
zest of a lime
splash of orange juice
splash of maple syrup
Childe Hassam, Still Life with Fruit, 1904
This salad is just beautiful. I love the simple flavors that combine to be a star dish. Gorgeous. I also love the still life that you showcased!
Thanks Julie. Some times simplicity is best. I was searching for prunes in art and just loved this Childe Hassam also when I found it. I don’t think it is well known as I had not been familiar with it. I volunteer teaching art history (16th year!) and always try to put a little art in my posts. Thank you for noticing the art!
Johanne Lamarche
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I taught painting and owned a decorative art store for over 13 years. I did take art history in college, but was more interested in diving in.
So interesting Julie. I did not know that about you! I feel like I’ve been trying balance the scale of studying sciences all my life with no art education ever since I retired from practice and teaching of periodontics. Just got back from a trip to Houston specifically to see the Rothko Chapel, long on my bucket list. There was a new retrospective of his work at the art museum and we saw that as well as the outstanding Menil Collection. Making up for lost time. I am a big art fan!
Johanne Lamarche
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Amazing! What a wonderful trip! I kind of have two brains. Love the creative stuff but have worked in medicine and with numbers too. Now I just want to bake and travel!
Same!
Johanne Lamarche
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Johanne I just love this post about fruit salad! For some reason I do not make them enough and I always have lots of fruit in my kitchen…weird huh? You have inspired me as always. I am also a lover of still life artwork. Thanks for sharing.
I always seem to need a reason to make a fruit salad and seldom make them for myself either Teresa. This was for my art teaching group breakfast so I had to throw in some art. It took me a long time to find a still life with plums but was so happy to find this Childe Hassam piece. So colorful. Happy you enjoyed it as well. So happy to hear from you. I did make your plum/prune cake for the International women club. They LOVED it! Hope you got the ping backs from both your posts on plum yum and prune tartlets. You had asked for the menu and I will try to send it by email.
Johanne Lamarche
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Hi Johanne, Yes, I’d like to dig right into this bowl. Beautiful combination–especially with the addition of the Italian prunes, citrus juices and maple! full of fall color and flavor. cheers! Nancy
Hi Nancy! After your hand pies, you’ll need a few salads! 😄. I just got back in from a Haunted Philly Walking Foodie tour….need a few salads myself!!!
Johanne Lamarche
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Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
I rarely make fruit salad and I don’t know why because I love them. This one is especially lovely with it’s vibrant colors.
I usually make them for a group but seldom for myself yet I love them too. We should spoil ourselves more shouldn’t we? 🍁🌺🍁
Johanne Lamarche
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