COOKING WITH CLORIS--FRUIT SALAD TOPPINGS

Fruit salad is a staple in our house during the summer. We often eat it for breakfast, as a midday snack, or as an after-dinner dessert or as a topping over sorbet, sherbet, ice cream or gelato. The abundance of fresh fruit this time of year means from day to day no two fruit salads will be the same. You can even combine vegetable salads and fruit salads for a refreshing lunch or dinner.

Along with the standard melons (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon), berries (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry), stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries), tropical fruits (pineapple, banana, papaya, kiwi, oranges, tangerines, mangoes) and grapes, I like to jazz up my fruit salads with different toppings. Here are a variety of add-ons for your summer fruit salad. Some you may have added in the past but some you probably haven’t thought to try. Use them individually or in combination.

The photo above features a fruit salad of nectarines, clementines, bananas, strawberries, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips.

Granola

Chopped pistachios

Chopped walnuts

Chopped pecans

Slivered almonds

Grape nuts

Chocolate chips

Butterscotch chips

Caramel chips

Shredded coconut

Mini marshmallows

Dried cherries

Dried blueberries

Dried cranberries

Yogurt covered dried fruit

Chopped, dried apricots
Crumbled blue cheese
Crumbled feta

A drizzle of hot fudge sauce

A drizzle of caramel sauce

A drizzle of honey

A dollop of yogurt

A dollop of whipped cream

A dollop of pudding

A dollop of custard

A splash of orange juice

A splash of lime juice

A splash of wine

A splash of rum

A splash of tequila  

A splash of pineapple juice

Chopped fresh mint

Chopped fresh basil
Chopped watercress

Jello cubes

Chopped cookies

Cubes of pound cake

Cubes of brownie

Cubes of angel food cake

Pretzel pieces

Chocolate covered pretzel pieces

Chopped cucumber

Did I leave out any of your favorites?