Fruit Salad

Some things are known for sure. The most flavorful cheeses come from Wisconsin, not just labeled as an adjective-fortified product, known as “Wisconsin Cheddar”. The finest dark amber maple syrup comes from Vermont. The crispest apples either from my home state of New York or Washington state. The sweetest oranges come from Florida. Yes, Californian’s there is a difference. California oranges are yellow inside and out and are later dyed orange for your eyes only. They have a “getting there sweet tartness”. In contrast, Florida’s oranges are orange inside and out and sweet, sweet, sweet. Take the challenge and thank me later! Blueberries, the best blueberries, are harvested in Maine and at their peak in August. Knowing blueberries would just set my fruit salad into perfection for Saturday’s Jammie Night, I set my sights on Henry’s Farmers Market.

When I arrived at the store’s produce section, I froze. As I looked at the blue marbled pearls before me, I was overwhelmed by the plethora of reflecting containers shining back at me. The blueberries were penny-sized, small, pink, purple, dark bruised blue, moldy, touched with brown, shriveled, green and at most plump. The freshest blueberries look like, well, not from a plastic carton but rather from a wooden bushel and a smiling farmer in overalls. From what I saw, these were not it. I was in a pickle! Wait this is about fruit not veggies. Frustrated, I turned my head away in disgust and found it. There they were sitting in perfection. My mind flashed back to when I was young with my Mom and she taught me that the perfectly ripe and best blueberries have a frosted appearance and bluish purple color to them. My thoughts returned to the present and I saw the deep rich colored fruit my Mom had described to me. Without a doubt, I knew that these blueberries would give light to the firmest and sweetest flavor one could enjoy, I placed the blueberries among the strawberries, mangos, papaya, pears, red grapes, nectarines, pineapples, passion fruit and kiwi. I presented the masterpiece, in a simple glass piece in all its natural glory as delicious!