Carve a Melon Fruit Basket
Attractive, creative and inexpensive, a melon fruit basket adds an air of colorful sophistication to a table spread. Easily feeding many people with many different tastes, this simple bowl can be carved and filled to suit any occasion at any season. A melon fruit basket can be a wonderful pop on a buffet table or can be impressive used as a centerpiece.
Instructions
Drawing and Cutting
1. Choose the least attractive portion of the melon that may be slightly bruised or discolored--this will be your bottom. Write an "X" on this area to orient yourself with the layout of your basket. Roll your melon so the X is on the bottom and your clean side is upright.
2. Create a handle by drawing with your marker around the circumference of the melon leaving a gap of about one inch on two opposing sides. You want two separate lines; you do not want them to connect, or there will be marker at the base of your handle. Connect the ending points of each side over the top of your melon. This should leave you with two pie-shaped 1/4 spheres separated by a clean, thick section of rind.
3. Flip over your fruit to your previous X mark and slice off the rounded edge to create a flat bottom and prevent your melon from rolling.
4. Note your previous markings and cut out the 1/4-sphere drawn sections. If there is ink still visible from your previous markings, use a paring knife to cut the ink away.
5. Follow the curve of the rind on your "handle" and cut away the fruit left after removing the pie-shaped sections. Leave the rind thick enough that it won't curl or wilt after sitting a while. Never carry your basket by the rind; the handle is purely aesthetic.
Preparing Your Melon
6. Clean out any seeds or strings in the core in both the basket section and the pie-shaped sections.
7. Use a knife or melon baller to harvest the fruit of the melon, setting it aside to add to your fruit salad that will fill the basket.
8. Cut two small holes through the bottom of your now hollow melon to allow your fruit salad to drain and prevent a soggy salad.
Decorate, Fill, Present and Serve
9. Create a pattern on the top rim of your basket by first slicing a 1/2-inch triangular pattern into the rind.
10. Smooth the triangles into upside down half moons for a wavy pattern, or leave the pattern triangular for a more jagged appearance.
11. Repeat steps 1 and 2 on the handle of your basket on a smaller scale to make a uniform pattern on all the edges of your basket. This will finish the preparation of your basket and you can begin to fill it.
12. Mix a blend of like fruits of varying color with your chunks of melon, depending on your occasion, season, favorite recipes and personal tastes. Fill in your melon basket salad, arranging your top layer to show off the varieties of fruits and colors. Garnish with a few circle slices of lemon or orange.
13. Fill a tray with a 1/2-inch rim halfway with ice, and place your filled melon fruit basket on the tray. Add a serving spoon or tongs.
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