Create tantalizing fruit platters for buffets, snack bars, and catered events. Read on to learn catering pro tips for presenting irresistible fruit platters.
1. Cut Following the Fruits’ Contours
Whatever the fruit’s size or the thickness of its skin, follow the fruit’s contours as you cut. Doing so will preserve the fruit’s beautiful appearance and save as much of the edible flesh as possible.
Skewers make picking up chunkier cuts of fruit easier, while tongs and cutlery are better for thin slices. Consider cutting some of the fruit in fun shapes for a fun accent. Zig-zag cuts work well on melons, kiwis, and citrus.
You don’t have to cut and peel all the fruit you place on the platter. Think practically about what will best serve the guests. For example, eating a watermelon wedge with the peel still on it is easy, but leaving the skin on the pineapple creates a more stringy texture.
A professional pineapple cutting machine, like Juicernet’s Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer HO3, removes the skin and the fibrous center without wasting the fruit. You’ll have presentation-ready pineapple in moments.
2. Display Various Colors and Textures
Another catering pro tip for presenting irresistible fruit platters is to feature an array of colors and textures. Fruit platters bring the color wheel to life. Strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, oranges, and kiwis are popular and colorful options for a fruit platter.
You can create a more dynamic display by cutting some fruit to reveal the insides. For example, cut strawberries in half lengthwise but leave the halves attached at the tops. Then, when you plate the strawberries, fan them out. Diners will see the fruit’s interior and exterior colors and patterns.
Pears, apples, and bananas turn brown quickly. With these fruits, consider placing them whole on the platter. You can also keep grapes in bunches to prevent them from rolling off the platter.
3. Arrange an Appealing Design
Arrange fruit on a plate that doesn’t feature a heavy pattern. You can choose between placing fruit in a symmetrical or abstract design. Place fruit starting from the center of the plate and work your way out to minimize small gaps that can be hard to fill.
Fan out the fruit slices to create a bountiful display. If the fruit doesn’t lay neatly on the plate, trim it as needed.
As the fruit radiates from the center, consider placing taller items at the focal point. You can put a bunch of grapes at the center and cover the stalk by placing the grapes upside down.
Consider including non-fruit options such as pretzels, nuts, marshmallows, and dips. Place these items in little bowls throughout the tray to add more dimension and keep them dry. Finally, fill the gaps with berries and sprigs of fresh herbs such as mint, rosemary, or thyme.
Proper food prep makes all the difference for your fruit platter. Juicernet’s pineapple cutters make it easier to create fruit displays that wow. Shop with us today for professional equipment.
