Linda's Elegant Simple Fruit Salad Recipe

This delicious and amazingly easy fruit salad recipe is the creation of my dear friend and sister-in-law, Linda. Linda is a busy business owner. When she is not traveling, her home is open on Shabbos to the many visitors passing through her small community. So her meals have to be simple to meet the demands on her time, aesthetically pleasing to meet the demands of her personality, and delicious to boot.

Linda is an artist. Her eye for color and texture extends into every area of life that she touches. Her home is elegant and cozy in soothing neutral walls and feathery sheer curtains. She favors burnished gold, deep blue and rich aubergine fixtures, frames, pillows and carpets that set off her deep brown suede sofas. Her Purim table may be set with bright Fiestaware on a woven cloth in matching primary colors. Her clothing is simple and tasteful made unique by an elegant signature scarf or pair of earrings.

So it is with her cooking.

Linda makes this fruit salad recipe with her artist's touch. First, she chooses fruit in season, in colors pleasing to the eye and textures that satisfy the tongue. It's hard not to appreciate the array of choices in Hashem's palate. Then she puts it all together and like any artist, gives it her "signature," a flourish of flavor you'll want to try too.

To begin, choose seasonal fruits for the best flavor:

Spring and Summer: Peaches,plums, blueberries, banana, mango, watermelon, strawberries

Fall and Winter: Oranges, red and green grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, apples, pears, pomegranate seeds

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6 fresh mint leaves, cut in slivers, optional

1. Select an assortment of fruit in season with complimentary colors. Wash, peel and cut fruit into bite sized pieces. There should be 6 to 8 cups of fruit in all. Toss together in a large container and refrigerate until one hour before serving.

2. One hour before serving, drizzle the honey and vanilla, and sprinkle cinnamon over the fruit. Toss gently to coat fruit well. Spoon into serving bowl and scatter fresh mint leaves over the top if desired.

Delicious as it is, sometimes there is left over fruit salad in your fridge. Try these Planned Over favorites with this fruit salad recipe.