How to Prepare Your Fruit this Fall

If you’re anything like us, you’re ready for summer to be over – goodbye, hot, humid weather, bring on cooler temps, colored leaves, and pumpkin spice everything! At first glance that might sound funny coming from a fruit company, but fruit grows year-round, so there’s always something fresh and new happening at Hale Groves no matter what time of year it is.

The only thing that really changes is what you’ll find in a basket of fruit or fruit box from us! As the season changes, your fruit order will switch over to include apples (fall’s most famous fruit after pumpkins), pears, and plums – as well as our wonderful varieties of citrus fruit. And you’ll be able to enjoy them as soon as your fruit basket deliveries arrive: when you order fruit online at Hale Groves, it arrives fresh and perfectly ripe, ready for you to savor immediately.

How Best to Enjoy Fruit During the Fall?

There’s never a bad time for enjoying fresh fruit, but summer is an especially perfect time…no prep, no heating up the oven, just grab your gift fruit and start noshing as casually as the season itself.

With fall, however, comes more ways to enjoy your fruit gifts to the fullest. What smells more like fall than a cinnamon-spiced apple pie, plum cobbler, or pear compote? Adding slices of these fruits to your morning cereal and evening salad is a great way to enjoy them, too.

If you’ve hesitated to order a fruit basket for delivery from us because you were afraid you wouldn’t finish it before it went off, go ahead and order away – here are some great ways to prepare fruit for fall:

• Baking. There’s baking with fruit, and then there’s baked fruit! If your fruit arrangements are starting to a look a bit tired, turn them into a tasty dessert without going to a ton of trouble. A pinch of sugar, a dash of your favorite fall spices, a splash of vanilla, and you’re ready to go – just pop your apples or pears into an oven preheated to 350°F, and in just a few minutes you’ll have a dessert you can enjoy alone or with a dab of cream or a scoop of ice cream.

• Grilling. If you’ve been grilling fruit over the summer, you don’t have to start. And if you haven’t been grilling fruit all summer, now’s the time to start! Grilled fruit drizzled with honey or maple syrup is a special treat – and an elegant topping for savory meat dishes. Grilling fruit caramelizes their natural sugars for unforgettable flavor, too.

• Steaming. Ever consider steamed fruit as a side dish? You should – steaming helps keep all the good stuff (nutrients) in, retains the color and texture of the flesh, and brings out the fresh flavor. Steaming fruit is simple – you can use a steamer basket if you have one, but it’s even easier to do in the microwave. Wash and cut up your fruit, then place it in a glass bowl with about two inches of water. Cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap (make sure you leave a corner open for venting) and zap at “high” for two or three minutes. Be super-careful taking the dish out of the microwave and removing the cover; the bowl and steam will be hot. Steamed fruit is delicious on its own, but you can add even more flavor with a dash of cinnamon or even a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

• Sautéing. You should definitely add “send fruit gift basket” to your holiday gift list this fall for all your friends who love to cook – and for yourself! Sauteing fruit is a great way to add amazing flavor to Asian dishes, pork, or chicken dinners, and even rice. And, of course, sauteed fruit makes a great addition to Sunday brunch when served over waffles, French toast, or pancakes! Just melt a teaspoon of butter for every four cups of fruit over low-to-medium heat. Next, add sliced apples, pears, or other fruits along with a dash of cinnamon or sugar and you’ll be ready in just a few minutes!

• Roasting. When order fruit gifts online for yourself or someone else this Thanksgiving, forget the chestnuts and go with fruit instead. Roasted fruit makes a great addition to turkey and other holiday dishes, and it’s very easy to do – just preheat the oven to 425°F, drizzle your whole fruits (you should peel the citrus fruits first) with a little olive oil, add your favorite spices and roast for ten minutes. The finished fruits are not only delicious, they also make an eye-popping addition to your entrée!

Bring a bountiful harvest of color and flavor to your table with fruit from Hale Groves this fall!

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Hale Groves of Vero Beach, Florida, offers the best citrus and fruit gifts money can buy. Order some for your friends, family or yourself.

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