GENERAL INFORMATION
If you need to control serving size, you MUST cut or portion out eruit before allowing people to help themselves. Split whole oranges or apples into wedges or halfs. For fruit salad, use small clear plastic beverage cups or bowls, Serve at the buffet table or arrange and refrigerate on pretty trays. cover the whole tray with saran wrap or cover each dish.
To serve a fruit salad ala mode requires 4-5 half gallons sherbet or ice cream.
| Fresh fruit as purchased | Approximate Yield |
|---|---|
| 1 (18 1/2 lb.) watermelon | 16 cups makes about 180 pieces |
| 1 (4 lb.) pineapple | 5 cups makes about 40 pieces |
| 1 (3 lb.) honeydew or cantaloupe | 4 cups makes about 36 pieces |
| 1 lb. strawberries | 4 cups makes about 25 berries |
| 1 lb. Tokay grapes | 3 cups |
| 1 lb. green grapes | 2 cups |
| 1 pt. blueberries or raspberries | 2 cups |
| 1 (3 oz.) kiwi fruit | 1/2 cup makes 10-12 (1/8″) slices |
| Frozen fruits, ready to eat | 1 bag makes about 3 cups |
How To Prepare a Watermelon Boat
Bowl shell can be done ahead; wrap empty in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Fill with fruit salad just before serving.
To make the bowl:
If not stable on the table, trim a thin slice from bottom of melon so it will rest flat. Using a cardboard guide of a 1 1/2″ scallop, draw scallop design about 1/3 of the way down from top of melon. Cut out scallops with paring knife; remove top section. Scoop out the melon by cutting into balls or wedges, leaving shell 1″ thick and taking care NOT to puncture the shell. Press plastic wrap to the cut surfaces and refrigerate the bowl and lid. Remove seeds from the scooped out melon, chunk into serving size pieces or melon balls and refrigerate in air yight baggies or containers (baggies will fit inside the wraped bowl).
Handling Leftovers
If this is a fundraising event, purchase to go cups and lids ahead of time, so you can sell by the pint or quart. Anything that has been on the service table must be used within 24 hours. Any that was still refrigerated (never served), may be kept chilled and eaten until soft or fermented. DO NOT refreeze thawed frozen fruits; you CAN bake appropriate thawed fruits into cobblers or pies and freeze those.