Fresh Fruit Platter Recipe

Wash and dry

Rinse strawberries, grapes, and blueberries under cold water in a colander. Pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Rinse mint leaves and gently dry; set aside.

Peel and core pineapple

Stand the pineapple upright on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut off the crown and base. Slice downward to remove the skin, following the curve. Remove any remaining 'eyes' with the tip of the knife. Trim the core by cutting the pineapple into quarters lengthwise and slicing out the tough center from each quarter. Cut the pineapple into bite-size chunks (about 1-inch pieces) or into wedge shapes, as desired.

Prepare mango

Hold a mango upright and slice off the two fleshy cheeks away from the large flat pit. Score each cheek in a grid pattern without cutting through the skin, then invert the cheek and slice the cubes away from the skin. For the remaining sides, carefully trim flesh from around the pit and slice into pieces. Aim for bite-size mango pieces.

Slice papaya (or melon)

Halve the papaya lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Peel with a knife or vegetable peeler and cut into 1-inch cubes. If using melon, halve, seed, peel and cube similarly.

Peel and slice kiwi

Trim both ends of each kiwi. Use a spoon to slide between flesh and skin and remove the peel, or peel with a small knife. Slice into rounds about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Prepare berries and grapes

Hull strawberries (remove green tops) and halve or quarter larger berries so pieces are bite-size. Remove any stems from grapes and, if large, halve them. Keep blueberries whole.

Slice orange

Slice the orange into thin rounds or half-moons for color and a citrus accent. Reserve a few slices for garnish.

Choose a large, shallow platter or wooden board for the presentation. Pat dry any fruit pieces if they are wet to avoid a watery platter.

Arrange the fruit in groups of like colors and textures for visual impact: place pineapple chunks in one area, mango nearby, papaya or melon in another, cluster berries together, fan kiwi slices, and nestle orange rounds along the edge. Alternate colors to create contrast (for example, place green grapes next to red strawberries). Leave small gaps for mint and coconut garnish.

If using toasted coconut flakes, lightly sprinkle them over the tropical fruit clusters (pineapple, mango, papaya) for crunch and flavor.

Zest and juice the lime into a small bowl. Whisk the lime juice together with the honey until combined. Drizzle this lime-honey dressing lightly over pineapple, mango, and papaya to brighten flavors. Reserve a small amount for guests to add to other fruit if desired.

Tuck fresh mint leaves around the platter and garnish with the orange slices. If you like a spicy-sour kick, lightly dust a very small amount (about 1/4 tsp per platter) of chili-lime seasoning over portions of the mango or pineapple.

Place the bowl of Greek or coconut yogurt and a small bowl with extra honey or rum/passion fruit syrup alongside the platter so guests can add a dollop or drizzle as desired (do not pour rum over fruit if children will be served).

Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled. If not serving right away, cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 3 hours; avoid longer storage to prevent fruit from releasing too much juice.