Fruit Plate Recipe

Wash all fruit under cold running water. Pat dry with a clean towel or paper towels.

Hull and halve the strawberries. Remove stems from grapes. Peel and cube or ball the pineapple and honeydew. Peel and slice the kiwi. Segment the orange by cutting away peel and white pith, then cutting between membranes to release segments.

Taste a small piece of each fruit and trim any bruised or overly ripe spots. Keep pieces bite-size (approximately 1/2 to 1-inch pieces) so they are easy to pick up with a fork or toothpick.

Decide whether to serve yogurt or cottage cheese. Place 1 cup of the chosen accompaniment into a small serving bowl or ramekin for the platter.

If serving yogurt and you want it a touch brighter, stir in 1 tsp fresh lemon juice and drizzle 1 tsp honey over the top. If serving cottage cheese, season optionally with 1/4 tsp ground black pepper and a light drizzle (1 tsp) of honey if desired.

Select a large platter or wooden board. Arrange the prepared fruit in groups or in a colorful pattern — for example, place each fruit in small clusters around the platter so colors contrast. Leave a space in the center or at one side for the bowl of yogurt or cottage cheese.

Place the bowl of chosen accompaniment on the platter. Scatter the optional toasted sliced almonds in a small pile near the bowl or sprinkle lightly over the fruit if preferred.

Tear and scatter the fresh mint leaves over the fruit for aroma and color. Lightly drizzle any additional honey over the fruit clusters if you like a sweeter finish (use remaining 1 tsp).

Give the platter a final check: wipe any sticky juice from the rim, rearrange any pieces that look crowded, and serve chilled or at cool room temperature. Provide small forks or toothpicks for easy serving.