The Weird Things You Do To Fruit Thread (tips)
 

even if they don't seem particularly weird to you...

a couple of habits I've picked up:

*Sprinkling a little salt on my watermelon (Japan)

*Dipping cut apple into lightly salted water before serving (Japan)
- prevents apple from going brown too quickly and adds another texture to the flavour. Perfect for apples served in salads.

*Dusting fresh strawberries with black pepper instead of sugar (Portugal)
- somehow brings out the natural flavour of the strawberries better


slightly different catagory:

*Opening pomegranates with latex gloves on (Spain)
- stops the skin around your finger nails from discolouring (yellowing/browning)

Probably not that weird, but mixed spice goes very well on melon (particularly canteloupe). Also goes well if you sprinkle it on pears (especially those lovely Golden Taylor ones that are only in season for a very limited time), chopped into chunks and put in the microwave for a minute or so.

Sugar - I would never consider adding to ripe fruit. Green mango, maybe, but sugar on strawberries?

Lemon juice can be nice on Russets - they have a lovely, soft, sweet flavour, but the late season ones can be a bit too sweet.

I peel grapes before I eat them - learned it from my mother I think....

balsamic vinigriette on strawberries - goes really well with pork tenderloin

i think i picked this up in Santa Fe, NM

Dip pineapple into salty water before eating. Supposedly that will go easier on the stomach. Otherwise, you can get stomach pain. Don't know if it's true, but my mom always make me do that.

And salt on watermelon thing. It's awesome.

I make an awesome salad dressing with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dry mustard, garlic and mandarin oranges (fresh or canned, of course fresh are best).... I have also tossed sliced strawberries into this.

I make a lemon juice 'bath' for cut apples and pears to prevent discolouration ~ it was interesting to see the salt bath idea here! Thanks :)

My mother loves Fried Bananas ~

My cousins and I used to put sugar on tomatoes. I'm not sure if they learned this in Korea or made it up, but it was pretty good!

As long as the core isn't too bitter (and I'm not in an inappropriate setting) I like to eat the entire apple, core and all.

I figure the roughage can only help in the fight against bowel cancer.
Of course half of my apple intake would be through platters or buffets so the above naughtiness doesn't apply most of the time. ;)

Don't forget to spit out the pips as they have cyanide! Which is at least partly responsible for the bitter taste.

It won't kill you or even make you ill in the quantities you're likely to eat, but I'd imagine eating the pips would cancel out or temper some of an apple's other health benefits.

as a side to some torta di nonna I made last week I peeled some white saturn peaches,groumd some grain of paradise over them and them drizzled a 40 year old balsmic over them.An inspired combination!

For some reason I thought this was going to be an adult-themed thread.... :D

I usually half some fresh peaches, sprinkle with a little sugar, and then grill them. Goes well with pork. Or sliced over ice cream. Or just plain, for that matter. ;)

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I am ready to try something new with my fruit. I saw this recipe for a Summer Fruit Brulee in More magazine and it looked so good and super easy to make:

-1 small honeydew melon, cut into chunks
-3 peaches, sliced
-1/2 cup sugar
-sweetened whip cream

1. Place fruit in jelly-roll pan, and sprinkle with sugar
2. Run the dish under the broiler for 2 to 5 minutes, until the sugar caramelizes and forms a light crust. Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Yummy!

Try chopped corriander (cilantro in the US) on chopped pineapple...it is heavenly!

I put salt on honeydew...makes it sweeter.

There was "Sandy" at my best friend's bachelor party.

Never mind...that was vegetables. :D

Sprinkle salts on Mangoes.

This is a very common & popular snack in Indonesia.

A recepie definately worth sampling! ^

I'd like to call it more of a creativity thread. :)

I made it tonight for dessert
 

I made it with only very ripe perfect nectarines tonight. Used vanilla hagen daz on top instead of whip cream. It was amazing.

Southern tomato classics:

Good old garden-grown, fresh-sliced tomato with salt and pepper sprinkled on top. Perfect side for a hot summer day.

Also, heirloom tomatoes are great for sandwiches. Take two slices of white or potato bread, spread mayo and a touch of mustard on each slice, and put a big ole fat slice of heirloom tomato between the pieces of bread. Doesn't hurt to add cucumbers or vidalia onion.

I had this in Vietnam, but it may be popular in Thai food as well...

Pickled Green Mango with a dollop of spicy shrimp paste. It tasted better than it sounded. But definitely still an acquired taste...salty..shrimpy..spicy...

Yes fruit mixed together with seafood is common in those places.

Is there ANY other way to have watermelon? :)

I learned that as a kid growing up in the South. My partner looks at me like I am crazy.... but there is nothing like Ice Cold Watermelon with a bit of salt....

YUMMMMMMMM.....

Fruit "Chat" masala
 

Indians generally put a lighter version of the Garam/Curry Masala called the Fruit "Chat Masala" on fruits like melons, pears, watermelons, green mangoes, pineapples etc.

Chat Masala (sometimes Chaat Masala) is commonly available in all Indian grocery stores

The spiciness of the Chat masala delicately balances the sweetness of the fruit!

Easiest dessert
 

Bowl of washed grapes (any color) dressed with sour cream with a little (you define "a little") brown sugar stirred in (let the dressing sit a bit to dissolve the brown sugar).