The Vintage Fruit Salad That Deserves A Summer Comeback

Summer is nearly here, which means that fruit salad season is quickly approaching. From your Memorial Day barbecue to next weeks' Sunday brunch, fruit salad is the sweet and refreshing side to balance out all of your summer meals. But, there's one type of vintage fruit salad that deserves a comeback this summer — overnight fruit salad. Not only is it creamy and refreshing, but, thanks to the inclusion of lemon juice and vinegar, the sauce actually works to preserve your fruit — meaning it can be prepared in batches days ahead without any sign of browning. Plus, being the true crowd pleaser it is, this nostalgic salad can be adapted to accommodate anyone's taste.

The real magic to this overnight fruit salad comes from its sauce. After whisking together a few eggs, sugar, and lemon juice over high heat before reducing it and whisking some more, getting this sauce to a whipped, creamy consistency will require you to add some butter and fold it into freshly whisked whipped cream. Allow the mixture to cool and squeeze a bit of lemon juice or add a splash of vinegar to the fruit prior to stirring everything together with the optional marshmallows to ensure everything stays colorful and fresh. At least four hours down time is recommended, but the salad can be stored in the fridge for as long as four days, allowing the fruit juices to mingle and combine with the sauce. 

There's nothing wrong with taking inspiration from the trends of the past, and there's nothing wrong with adapting those trends to suit the tastes of today. It's always a good idea to check with the host about potential allergies among the guests. This recipe is adaptable to most dietary restrictions, including milk and eggs. Should that be the case, the best alternative would be to opt for a coconut based whipped cream and dairy free butter alternative along with a container of JUST Egg.

On a less serious note, the fruit you choose to include in this salad is also entirely up to you. If you want to go for a more tropical vibe, you could lean into fruits like banana, mango, papaya, and pineapple. Or you could experiment with other rare and exotic fruits. The best way to go, however, would be with whatever is in season. Anything you find at your local farmers market will be fair game with cherries, strawberries, melons, and stone fruits like plums and peaches being some of the most prime examples. 

Of course, if you have a personal vendetta against any one fruit in particular, feel free to exclude it from this recipe. Just know that after being tossed with what's essentially a tangy whipped custard and left to marinate in the fridge, this vintage fruit salad will taste a whole lot better than you remember.