The blue platter lives on - recipe

Its offerings change with the generations

Propped up on telephone books at my grandparents' dining table, I loved helping myself from my grandmother's blue china platter, just like an adult. Back on that Wisconsin dairy farm, the large platter usually held a roast chicken--one that had met its fate on a backyard stump.

Today the platter plays an important role in my own home in Menlo Park, California--but it's my 3-year-old granddaughter, Zoe, who's trying to be the big girl. And she can't get enough of the platter's contents--almost invariably an arrangement of fresh fruit that I like to serve for brunch, for an open house, or even for dessert.

My guests seem to welcome refreshing fruit combinations during the holidays, perhaps as a respite from so much rich food. I use tropical fruits, or a citrus assortment of pink and white grapefruit and orange segments scattered with raspberries, blueberries, or halved seedless grapes.

Tropical Fruit Platter with Strawberry Sauce

If fresh strawberries aren't available, use frozen whole strawberries for sauce and thaw to use.

2 cups strawberries, hulled and rinsed

About 1 tablespoon sugar

About 2 tablespoons orange-flavor liqueur such as Grand Marnier (optional)

1 medium-size (about 3 lb.) pineapple, peeled, cored, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

2 small (about 2 lb. total) firm-ripe papayas, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

6 medium-size (about 1 1/2 lb. total) kiwi fruit, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

3 whole strawberries with stems (optional)

In a blender or food processor, whirl hulled strawberries until smooth. Add sugar and Grand Marnier to taste. If making ahead, cover strawberry sauce and chill up to 2 days.

On a large platter, overlap slices of each fruit, grouping each kind separately. Drizzle strawberry sauce over fruit in attractive pattern. Garnish with whole strawberries; if desired, cut each berry into 4 or 5 slices from tip to, but not through, stem end, and flare slightly. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 90 cal. (6 percent from fat); 1.2 g protein; 0.6 g fat (0 g sat.); 22 g carbo.; 4.8 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

COPYRIGHT 1994 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group