Making an Edible Fruit-Filled Arrangement

Create a DIY one-of-a-kind edible fruit filled arrangement using cookie cutters to cut floral shapes and leaves out of fruit. Arrange the fruit flowers on the skewers and serve. Here’s what you ‘ll need for this mouthwatering project!

• A clean sturdy vase (tall enough and wide enough to hold the fruit skewers once made) • One bag of dried beans • About 8 to 12 Wooden skewers (soak in water first to prevent splintering/let dry before use) • Assorted cookie cutters (flowers, leaves, and other fun shapes) • Assorted fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, green melon, kiwi, strawberries, grapes, blueberries etc.)

Directions: Fill the bottom of the vase with dried beans to help hold the skewers in place. Cut floral shapes and leaves out of the larger fruit, using the green melons to form the leaves and the pineapple and cantaloupe as the flowers. Thread the cut fruit flower shapes on the top of the skewers, using the skewers as your stem. Arrange the fruit flowers into the vase. Fill in the empty spaces with skewers of stacked grapes and berries and keep going until the arrangement is full. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve shortly.

Did you know… that cantaloupe derives its name from the town of Cantalupo, Italy? It is there where cantaloupe seeds arrived from Armenia and were planted in the Papal Gardens in the 16th century.

Did you also know that… it’s a myth that cantaloupe can grow sweeter on the counter after they are picked? Once it is removed from the vine, the melon may become softer and juicer, but its sweet flavor will not intensify.

And have you heard that… cantaloupe fruit should be thoroughly washed and dried as soon as you bring it home? Simply run your melon under cool water and scrub it with a stiff vegetable brush. Then dry it well. Additionally, cantaloupe should not be left at room temperature for more than four days. Whole melon that is already ripe should be placed in the refrigerator or stored in halves tightly covered with cling wrap. Uncut whole melons can be kept in the fridge for up to five days and cut ones may last for up to three days. With melon halves, experts recommend leaving the seeds intact to help keep the melon fresh- but do remove them before serving.