This Is The Worst Fruit To Use In Fruit Salad, According To Alex Guarnaschelli

There's nothing like a gorgeous fruit salad eaten in the peak of summer, especially when it's a bowl filled with glistening, jeweled orbs after an afternoon cookout. The best fruit salads balance sweetness, acidity, texture, and structure. The worst ones, which you've no doubt seen at family reunions, consist of browning fruit, clashing flavors, and the dreaded soggy banana. We're not the only ones who feel this way. Chef Alex Guarnaschelli of Clara Restaurant in New York City also has strong opinions on how to craft the freshest summer salad.

First up? Her favorite fruits for the summer. These include, as she states, "Watermelon, peaches, nectarine, and cherries. Or tomatoes, strawberries, ground cherries [or] Cape gooseberries, and plums." If you've never heard of Cape gooseberries, they also go by the name of Peruvian ground cherries, as they're native to South America. The round, orange berries are cradled in a papery husk, not unlike tomatillos, and have been described as having the texture of a cherry tomato, but with a tropical, sweet flavor profile. The unconventional fruit is also excellent to throw into homemade salsas. 

However, there is one fruit that Guarnaschelli has banished from her fruit salads: "Bananas. So great caramelized and in many other places. Their starchy, sweet bite drags down the acidity and freshness of other fruits." Bananas are perhaps the most controversial fruit salad ingredient. They brown quickly, soften fast, and greedily soak up all the surrounding juices. Before you know it, they've become slippery and mushy, which is definitely a mistake you want to avoid when whipping up your fruit salad.

The best fruits for fruit salad tend to all have one thing in common: They hold their texture well once cut, which is one of the factors you should consider when picking out fruit salad ingredients. This is one of the reasons berries are some of the strongest players to bring to the fruit game; plus, they offer bright flavor and vivid colors.

Grapes are another elite ingredient because they stay crisp for hours, resist browning, and have that oh-so-refreshing snap. And we can't forget about pineapple, which holds it down as one of the best "anchor fruits" with its acidity and tartness. Watermelon, which is one of Alex Guarnaschelli's favorite foods, can also be delicious, but it can leech too much liquid if it sits out too long. Nothing is sadder than a fruit salad that turns soupy within the hour.

Guarnaschelli also suggests another underrated addition: "Kiwis are great for their acidity and crunchy seeds." Its tangy flavor can also help prevent fruit salads from tasting too one-note. And the humble apple can work well when treated properly. Guarnaschelli adds, "Diced apple with a squeeze of lemon adds a lot more than people think, too." Crisp varieties like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady contribute crunch, but they definitely need that citrus juice to slow down browning. 

And, finally, you can't forget to dress your fruit salad. Whether it's vinegar-based or this honey-lime dressing recipe, a good dressing brings all the flavors together in a delicious harmony.