Ways to enjoy summer fruit?

nancy324

nancy324

Cathlete
I eat tons of fresh, raw produce, and I love it all, but whenever I buy peaches, plums, nectarines and the like, they just sit in the fridge until they grow moldy and I throw them out. I'm trying to figure out why I don't eat them.

Maybe it has something to do with presentation? I love melon, cut up into bite-sized pieces and eaten with toothpicks. I love citrus cut into little triangles. I love apple slices from the apple-corer. Presentation seems to be the key. I've noticed that I'll eat almost anything if it's beautifully presented.

How do you eat peaches and plums and such? Any ideas that might help me like them? Thanks!
 
Good ol' Georgia peaches are a staple in my summer diet! We eat them constantly.

I like to just cut one in half, dig out the pit and then eat both halves with the skin on. My DH won't touch the skin and peels his. I think the skin is some of the best part.

My nieces love to cut up a peach and eat it with milk or ice cream. I also saw a food network show where they were grilling peach halves and serving them with ice cream on top.

I put blueberries on my cereal each morning. Or sometimes I'll mix blueberries with plain yogurt... same with strawberries.

Overall though, I eat most of my fruit just plain and whole!
 
I can't just bite into a piece of fruit straight from the fridge! I think it's in my genes. My father and his father were artists at cutting up fruit, and my mother is a great cook who presents everything on the table elegantly. If food isn't beautiful, I lose my appetite. But I will try cutting a peach into halves and removing the pit. Maybe then I'll cut it into quarters and see how that works. It's a shame to be missing out.

The grilled peaches with ice cream sound great, but I'm better off without the ice cream!
 
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I prefer to eat cut up fruit, too. I recently tried grilled peaches and they were delicious (and easy).

Michelle
 
I just asked my mother and she told me not to refrigerate peaches or plums. She said they lose their flavor. Maybe that's my problem. I always put them in the fridge.
 
I also tend to put mine in the fridge, I like my fruit cold because it seems to hold it's "firmness" better! I think the only fruit I don't put in the fridge is bananas. I guess to me, it seems fruit gets too soft too fast if I just leave it out.

But! I just recently cut up an ENTIRE watermelon...AFTER refrigerating it for 2 days! Oh, it's so crunchy and juicy! YUM! I had to cut it all up and put in containers cause if I don't...I'll never eat it! teehee.
 
Nancy,

There are many good recipes online, but I since I was lacking some ingredients I just cut the peaches in quarters, used a little spray butter and sprinkled some cinnamon. I grilled them skin-side down for about 4 - 5 minutes, then turned them for another couple minutes. Great alone (or with ice cream!).

There is another recipe that looks interesting. It uses balsamic vinegar and blue cheese. It's at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Peaches/Detail.aspx

I'm not much of a cook, so I look for easy things. Also, I agree with your Mom about not refrigerating plums and peaches.

Michelle
 
Nancy, do you like spicy food? DH made an amazing peach habanero salsa the other night. We used it as a dip for homemade tortilla chips, but it would be great on grilled fish!

Let me know if you want the recipe!
 
Try searching for "raw recipe peaches" (or whatever fruit) to find some tasty recipes for tarts, pies, compotes, etc. using raw fruits.

Here are some to get you started:
Mango and peach salsa : http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saucesdipsspreads/r/MangoSalsa.htm

Peach and tomato gazpacho:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peach-and-Tomato-Gazpacho-232601

Raw peach cobbler:
http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/2007/10/25/raw-peach-cobbler/

Peach pie:
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/peachpie.html


How about a fruit salad with cut up stone fruit (that's what peaches, plums and nectarines are :cool:), strawberries, blueberries and your choice of creamy stuff (whipped cream, blended nuts/sweetener/vanilla 'cream', etc.).

You could also use them as smoothies ingredients.

Slice peaches and put on cereal.
 
Oh my goodness, recipes! :eek: LOL. Well, although I don't actually "cook", I suppose googling "recipes" could result in a few suggestions for attractive ways to present peaches on a plate, right? I'll go look for some pretty pictures that whet my appetite. Good idea!

I think I'm going to try cutting thin slices and arranging them around a round plate to make almost a floral pattern, and then eat them with chop sticks. Somehow the idea of piercing them with a fork just doesn't appeal. That may work for a peach, but plums are just so messy, I don't think I'll ever find an appealing way to eat them.
 
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Hi Nancy,

I'm not big on plums, but I love peaches and nectarines! I don't refrigerate these unless they are very ripe and I won't be able to eat them right away.

Here are some of my favorites:

Wash, cut in half and eat, with all the juices dripping down my face :)

Add to any salad (fruit salad or green salad with chicken)

Blend into a dressing for a vinaigrette

Grill it and eat alone, with frozen yogurt or ice cream!

Cut up in bite size pieces and add to yogurt or cottage cheese

Make a smoothie (here I cut them up in bite size pieces and freeze them or make sure they're very cold)

I love sweet and savory--make a salsa to go over chicken or fish with whatever else you like (onion, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado, etc)
 
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I leave the peaches etc. out until they are ripe and then refrigerate them I also cut up all my fruit. I don't like to bite into a whole piece of fruit whether it is an apple or a peach or even a banana. Sometimes I just mix it all up into a fresh fruit salad--I guess that is my favorite--or have it with plain yogurt with a drizzle of maple syrup. I also like chopped fruit with cottage cheese. In making fruit salad I like to mix in some dry fruits and chopped nuts. I always remember as child watching my Sicilian grandfather peel and slice fruit with a little silver fruit knife. Can't find one of those anywhere. I have looked.
 
nancy324 said:
I just asked my mother and she told me not to refrigerate peaches or plums. She said they lose their flavor. Maybe that's my problem. I always put them in the fridge.
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Oh absolutely do NOT put peaches in the fridge. They do lose flavor. The same with home grown tomatoes.
 
I'd leave it in the fridge to keep it fresh then let it warm to room temperature before eating; I think it's more flavorful at room temp. I do that with berries.

I can't remember the last time I did anything with a piece of fruit other than cut it! :p Berries are my favorite since I don't even have to do that... ;)
 
I let my peaches (and other stuff) ripen on the counter but them I cut up and put in the fridge so they last a little longer. I will then add pieces to yogurt or cereal with almonds or pecans for breakfast. Just snacking on the cut up pieces is cool, too. Someone mentioned making a salsa... I second that. Mine is just mixed with minced red onion, green chilies, red pepper, and a little rice vinegar. (Sometimes I add mango - when on sale, I puree a bunch and freeze in ice cube trays like baby food). I like salsa chunky but you could also throw it all in the blender if you prefer a little more like sauce. Then you can use on top of fish or chicken or as a dip. Delish!
 
I looooove grilled peaches. Usually we make a pork tenderloin with lots of Chinese 5 spice, grill it, grill the peaches, and eat together. I'll also cut up peaches and put in a spinach salad with a dressing of white pear balsamic vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper and some crumbled stilton.

I also add peaches and plums to carrot juice for smoothies.

I'll also top an angel food cake with grilled peaches and home made raspberry sauce.
 
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