summer fruit salad with mint sugar
Here we are, almost in the middle of July, and it seems like summer is almost over. The advertisements for sales on school back packs and lunch boxes and school uniforms aren’t helping the matter any. My work is plugging away, and my husband added on an extra day of work himself.
It seems like time is just rushing by. And I seriously wish it would just. slow. down.
I saw this salad in a 2004 issue of Gourmet magazine, and I knew it would help to slow things down at least for a day. Chock full of summer fruits, I knew this would be the perfect remedy for my time-is-moving-too-quickly blues.
The recipe calls for peaches or nectarines, blackberries or cherries, and grapes. But really, you can customize it however you like. I used fragrant peaches, sweet cherries, a handful of blueberries, and seedless red grapes.
The secret – well, not terribly secret – ingredient that makes this salad just stunning is the mint sugar. After tasting it alone and in the salad, I’m wracking my brain trying to come up with more uses for it. It would be great with citrus or watermelon, for example. And there may be some real possibilities with cocktails. Perhaps mint sugar on the rim of a glass of refreshing mojito? Hmm…
My kids both had three servings each of this summer fruit salad. My daughter now thinks I’m the BEST COOKER EVER for making this for her. And you know what? This salad does make me look like pretty darn good cook.
Yield: Serves 6.
Summer Fruit Salad with Mint Sugar
This salad disappears QUICK. You may want to make extra.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh mint, washed and dried thoroughly
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds cherries, pitted and halved
3 firm-ripe peaches (or nectarines), halved lengthwise, pitted, and cut into 1/3-inch thick wedges.
1/2 pound seedless red grapes (1 1/2 cups), halved
Directions:
Pulse mint and sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
Combine fruit in large bowl and sprinkle with mint sugar. Toss gently to combine. Let stand 5 minutes prior to serving.
Recipe only slightly tweaked from this one in Gourmet magazine, July 2004.
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What a great summer fruit salad…Love the mint sugar:) Will want to try that…
great salad, perfect for summer…love the mint sugar
sweetlife
Mint sugar sounds excellent!!! I will definitely try that, thanks so much for sharing!
This is an amazing salad! I ADORE your new look!
What a delicious and beautiful recipe.. the mint sugar sounds like a very simple but wonderful way to add something extra special to fruit salad.
I can’t believe it is nearly mid-July as well. I kind of like the fast pace of summer, because while I’m not looking forward to the end of summer break, I am looking forward to Phoenix winter. Summers are just too hot! This fruit salad does look beautiful and delicious 🙂
The fruit salad looks delicious!! Mint sugar sounds like a a great idea. I’ve made this Fruit Salad with Mint recipe before also, and it was pretty tasty. Thanks for sharing!
You definitely get creative points for the mint sugar. How about lavender sugar?
Jason
This looks above and beyond good. I’m going to try this asap! I’ll echo Jason on the “creative points” for mint sugar, so cute!
Merry Jennifer,
I can’t wait to try this! I have an overabundance of mint growing in my yard so I look forward to using the mint for something other than mojitos (well, maybe not 🙂 Anwyay, this sounds and looks delicious!
I recognize that blue and white bowl and have one myself. Louisville Pottery, I think. A wedding gift from Angela, perhaps? 🙂 I LOVE that bowl and enjoy reading this blog.
It’s absolutely gorgeous MJ – I recently tried mint sugar for the first time and I am hooked!
The mint sugar looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try this.
Looks delicious and beautiful recipe, the mint sugar is interesting
I use a variety of summer fruits – peaches, cherries, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, apricot – and I add two KIWIS – the little black seeds add some texture and color and it looks beautiful. Everybody raves! Also good over vanilla icecream.
Kiwis would look beautiful in the salad. Great idea!
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Beautiful salad! I love the above suggestion to include kiwi. Thanks for sending this over (since I didn’t really know you as well back in July) 🙂
this is an amazing fruit salad. I love the amped up mint sugar. I have so much mint every summer, would love to use it like this.
Oh my! Yes please. Bring on the fresh fruit and the mint. I want to make this.
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