In addition to all fruits you mentioned, I also go to all ethnic neigborhoods to buy fruits you can not get in regular stores.

Longan, Rambutan, jackfruit, Lychee ---------.

I buy discount second-quality fruits and make lots of smoothies and sorbets.

When I cannot keep up with what I have bought, they go into the dehydrator.

dcarch

My favorite thing to eat is the same as yours Rachelellen, a big bowl of fruit topped with yogurt and grape nuts for crunch. Had that for breakfast Tues. Fruit for snacking, and then . . . fruit for JAMMING! When it's fresh from the farm I don't want to bake with it usually, unless I'm having a special dinner party. Back in grandma's day, it was fresh fruit with cream, no bothering to whip it! My favorite at her house was black raspberries!! OR mashed on buttered bread!

I only wished I liked fruit so well. I love vegetables and I try to love fruit, but it will mostly sit and spoil before I eat it, and the chickens eat more of it than I do.

I will mix it into yogurt, sometimes. I don't care for smoothies and I don't like it on cereal. I won't eat bananas at all, and right now I still have a bowl of those sweet cherries I picked last weekend in the fridge, along with some peaches. Maybe I'll put them into the sangria for 4th of July. I also have some apples that have been in the produce drawer for a couple of months, I keep trying to remember to take them out to the farm for horse treats.

I don't like applesauce and I seldom drink fruit juice. (shrug) When I pick strawberries I'll eat some and then I'm satisfied, I didn't even make strawberry shortcake this year. They are in the freezer for desserts when I have company or to make jam.

Now vegetables? I'll eat those as fast as I can bring them into the house, I had beets three times last week because I cooked a bunch of them and now I wish there were still some left.

Annie

I can polish off a large watermelon by myself in two days. I just have to remember to do so early in the day. ;)

Watermelon, watermelon and more watermelon. I love the stuff!! Also cantaloupe. Honeydew too but I don't often buy it since it's generally more expensive even in summer. Cherries. When cherries are in season for that very brief moment, I buy them and eat and eat and eat. I just bought five pounds on Sunday at $1.97/lb. Nectarines. Love em. And plums! I have two fig trees in my back yard for which I am patiently awaiting maturity and fruit production. I need to go back there today and see what they look like. Last week there were some hard green figs on both trees... don't know if they'll be edible this year though. If so, I will eat them as fast as they can grow!

I eat fruit for breakfast every day. I take 3-4 different fruits with me to work and munch on them throughout the morning till lunch time. Usually that includes a banana every day as I love bananas but during the summer, sometimes it's hard to squeeze them in!

Today, watermelon, cantaloupe and cherries. Plus an orange for an afternoon snack if I get hungry.

In the winter it's mostly oranges, apples, pears and bananas. Grapes occasionally.

I love to put fruit in my green salads too. A little chopped apple or pear or whatever. If not fresh fruit then raisins or dried cherries. That sweetness and tang really add something to a green salad!

Wheee! The plums are just coming in! More fruit for my bowl!

I cook with my Summer fruits too. The other night we had balsamic marinated, grilled figs with pork loin chops. Another night we had crilled chicken breast with a strawberry, peach, & blueberry raita. I've got some swordfish steaks in the freezer that will probably end up topped with a fresh fruit salsa or a grilled plum chutney. Fruit goes in salads too. And hot grain cereals are so, so good with a mound of berries and peaches on top.

This afternoon I'm going to be putting up jams and chutneys though, as my fruit lust at the stands has gotten ahead of my ability to consume!

The fruit at Sunday's Farmer's market was outstanding! Truly some of the sweetest strawberries and Rainier cherries ever!
The cantaloupe was fabulous to!

Rachelellen, can you give me an idea of how you made the raita? I saw figs at the market too, but they were super soft and not being too familiar with them, I hesitated to buy some. DH would love your raita and the figs!

Just cracked open a cantaloupe and pineapple..all cubed up and ready for snacky boys...

Tucked some pineapple away for the Daddy lunch box tomorrow...

The figs were easy. Pour some balsamic vinegar into a pan and over a med-high heat, reduce it by half. Cut figs in half, and place them cut side down in the balsamic reduction to marinate. I left them there for a couple of hours, I guess. Then, right before putting them on a hot grill, dip the cut edge in olive oil and rub a bit over the skin side as well. It doesn't take long to cook them...you want them warm through, but not mushy. Mostly, it's just the nice flavor the grill marks add. I turned them over and let the other side cook for a short time as well. Then, the figs are served with your grilled meats, drizzling the leftover balsamic reduction over both.

Raita is one of those things that everyone makes just a wee bit differently. I use my home made, plain yogurt, which I drain for a while so it's good and thick as the fruit will add liquid and I don't want it watery. Mix in your choice of chopped fruits. You can add a pinch or two of cumin if you like, or toasted cumin & mustard seeds...or some very, very finely minced serrano pepper. Fresh herbs are another option. Cilantro, mint or any of the mint relatives are very nice. Sometimes a little garlic is nice or minced green onion. The other night though, I just used the fruits, yogurt, and julienne mint leaves.

A raita is a wonderful compliment and foil to spicy hot foods as the yogurt cools the burn in your mouth (in this case, I leave out the serrano!)

I was once given a few gallons of blueberries, more than I could eat, and worked up this real simple and decadent blueberry treat:

Take a bunch of blueberries, wash them and freeze them in plastic bags. Once frozen, place in blender. Add half & half and blend into a frozen slurry. Add sweetener of choice if so desired. (And if you really want to be bad, add some dark rum.)

Well, carp, this thread just reminded me that I've had a watermelon sitting on the kitchen counter for nearly a week and haven't cut it yet. Maybe tonight, it's too hot to cook and I've already eaten all the beets and green beans.

Annie