Making a Little Look a Lot More

Pleased that you are finding photos of my dishes inspiring. More on this later.

Today am showing another picture taken a couple or so years back (and put on the blog at that time), but many will not have seen it, and it does help to show how a little can go a long way.

Small amounts of assorted and prepared fruit were plated up with slices of melon crossing the plate and segments of orange crossing in the other direction, alongside these were thin slices taken from only HALF a red apple (skin left on) and the gaps between filled with,green and black grapes, half a banana, and 9 halved strawberries. The platter itself was the turntable plate used in our microwave. A tub of yogurt (or cream) at the side.

Any seasonal fruit could be served in this way, as long as there is a good selection and the colour is varied (slices of Kiwi fruit would look lovely). Normally we serve fruit salad in a bowl, but this presentation (first seen in a Turkish restaurant in Lancaster, now sadly closed), was so unusual and attractive that I felt it was worth copying and took notes at the time of the fruits used.

Feel again that this is dish that can make use of small amounts of fruit we might have around the house - and one worth of serving when entertaining.

Another way (not shown) of serving a few fruits to a number of people is to cut large oranges in half (preferably cut zig-zag fashion through the skin) and - after removing the flesh and membranes - fill the shells with small pieces of assorted fruits, piled high. With a little kirsch-flavoured syrup poured over and possibly served with a 'tuile' biscuit, these also look very good and make a little go a long way. Am lucky enough to have several two-pronged small 'forks' which make eating the fruits slightly easier than using a teaspoon. These forks (mainly made of plastic, although I do have a few with metal prongs and black handles) are also good for spearing olives etc.