When it comes to food, presentation is one of the most important aspects. As professionals in the food and beverage industry know, we “eat” with our eyes first. If food looks good, it automatically tastes that much better. Poorly presented food will not be as appealing and you will find that your guests won’t be as eager to give it a try. When presenting a fruit platter, There are a few important tips to remember.
Choose your fruit
When preparing a fruit platter, it’s important to take into consideration things like allergies and how well different types of fruit handle being on display for several hours. With regards to allergies, it’s good to remember that some varieties of fruit present a higher risk than others. For example, if one of your guests has a strawberry allergy, it can make them feel like they should not consume any fruit at all. One option is to leave strawberries off your menu and another option is to make a fruit platter and a separate berry platter. Your fruit platter can consist of different types of melons, perhaps some grapes, citrus fruits, apples, pears, and so on. On a separate platter, you can place your berries. Remember to keep your berry platter far enough away from the other foods so as to prevent cross-contamination.
Preparing your fruit
All fruit should be washed before you begin slicing or cutting them into cubes. Even melons and fruit that will require the removal of the skin should be washed. This is because your knife will slice through the skin several times so, if the skin is not clean, the contaminants can spread from the skin to the fruit via your knife. Once your fruit has been washed, it’s time to cut them to size. Melons are fairly easy to cut and remember to keep the cubes small enough that they can be consumed in a single bite. Grapes should be washed and removed from the stems. You can slice them in half if you want to create an impressive presentation but this is time consuming and not absolutely necessary. Apples, pears, and bananas are popular fruits. That said, when they are exposed to air for too long, they can turn brown. You have two options. You can leave your fruit whole and just make sure that the skins are thoroughly washed. Present a mixed bowl of whole fruit an encourage your guests to help themselves. Alternatively, if you want to add them to your platter, you can use one of several methods to prevent them from turning brown. Lemon juice diluted in water is a common approach and it is highly effective. On the down side, the lemon juice can really affect the flavour of the fruit. Club soda is another great option and does not require dilution. It also won’t affect the flavour of the fruit. Soak your fruit for about 5 minutes before presenting them to your guests. Of course, this might not be ideal for bananas since they are so soft. If you want to add bananas to your platter, you can set up a decorative chopping board with a stylish knife and place a bowl of bananas next to it. Encourage your guests to slice however many they wish to eat.
Keep your fruit in the fridge until your guests are just about to arrive. Keep extra chopped fruit in airtight containers in the fridge and top up your platters as needed.
Adding something extra
Fruit platters are colourful, healthy, and delicious. They taste even better when you add something extra to the table such as cheese, crackers, and wine. Choose these extras to compliment the types of fruit you have chosen.
With all of these handy hints in mind, it’s easier than ever to impress your guests with a bright and cheerful-looking array of fresh fruits. Not only are they sweet and satisfying, but they are also wonderful light alternatives that won’t disrupt any diets.