Dessert fit for any Princess

To me, there's something really springy about this fruit salad recipe. As the days get longer and there's more light, I also feel like eating more colourful, lightly fragrant foods. This fruit salad is the perfect example of the light, giddy feeling the spring brings after the long, dark, winter with red wine and long braised meat casseroles and starch. I admit, the fruits are not in season this time of the year, which is something I usually try to follow, but this time of the year no vegetable or fruit is in season in Finland, so have to compromise. Because the fruit is not maybe at its best, the salad's flavoring of rosewater stands to a reason. Late in the summer and beginning of autumn, the best way to eat fruit or berry is to eat it as it is, no syrup, extra sugar or other fuss.

First make rosewater syrup. Combine about a 1,5 deciliters of water and 0,5 deciliters of sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil and add a cinnamon stick. Boil for about 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced to approximately half. Mix in 1 teaspoon of rosewater and cool.

Take any fruit or berries you fancy, for example orange, grapefruit, banana, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, apple, pear, anything that looks ripe and yummy. Peel the citrus fruit, then peel the white pith with a sharp knife and cut the segments between the membranes in to a bowl. Grapes you should halve and other fruits peel if necessary and cut in to segments. Place all in a bowl. Pour the cooled rosewater syrup on top and place in fridge for about an hour or so to let the flavors soak in.

Oh! And this is so good with some thick, fat Greek or Turkish yogurt, makes a lovely breakfast too! Last Easter we had it as a dessert after the roasted leg of lamb, and it was a perfect contrast to the meat.