by Sonia M.
Member since:
July 22, 2006

Tropical Ambrosia

December 08, 2007 10:01 PM UTC (Updated: December 08, 2007 10:58 PM UTC)
views: 0 | comments: 39

I was asked to do a small 'festive or holiday' food demonstration at the new Kino'ole Farmers Market in Hilo.  The demo was this morning and I decided what is more festive and holidayish than an Ambrosia Salad.

In South Carolina, where we lived for many years, Ambrosia is traditionally served during the Christmas Holidays or even as part of the Christmas dinner.  Since we have so many beautiful fruits available to us at this time of year, I decided to make it a Tropical Ambrosia.

Starting with a pineapple, long recognized as 'the symbol for hospitality', I hollowed a pineapple shell with a great gadget that cores and slices it at the same time, leaving an intact shell which can be used for other purposes....of course, we saved the top to replant.

I then added the slices of small apple bananas and mixed well with the pineapple pieces and juice so they wouldn't turn color.  Building on that base I used an assortment of fruit as follows:

Pineapple cut in bite pieces
Apple banana slices
Mango, diced
Tangerine pieces
Strawberry papaya pieces
Solo papaya pieces
Star fruit slices
Persimmon, chopped
Pomegranate seeds
Coconut, freshly grated
Candied ginger, chopped in small pieces
Macadamia nuts, chopped and lightly toasted
 
Mix all together and serve from a clear glass bowl...
or in stemmed wine or martini glasses.


Original article

Comments: 39

Connie C. Dec 8, 2007, 10:03pm UTC
Man that does look good. You look good in that photo too.
Angie G. Dec 8, 2007, 10:03pm UTC
I wish I could have this, it sounds wonderful unfortunately I'm allergic to some of the ingredients. My hubby's aunt made something very close to this at Thanksgiving and it went fast!

Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe.
Sue * Dec 8, 2007, 10:17pm UTC
Freshly grated coconut, and macadamias....oh, certainly beats what I make at my house!
Sonia M. Dec 8, 2007, 10:23pm UTC
Thank you, Connie....we had about 23 people watching the demo and about 35 tasted.....they all seemed to like it...

Ang, so sorry to hear you're allergic to some of the fruit! Bummer.....! I love fresh fruit.

Sue, I found out that it is best to grate the coconut in the Cuisinart instead of with a hand grater...saves eating skin and nails mixed in with the salad!....

Another good thing today,....a bunch of people bought my cookbook for themselves and as gifts to others....! That made my day!
Madame Donna C. Dec 8, 2007, 10:25pm UTC
Sonia, Sonia! Gimme that!
Tonia, who hugs trees G. Dec 8, 2007, 10:33pm UTC
Yes, Ambrosia is the perfect word - talk about a little bit of culinary heaven!
Sonia M. Dec 8, 2007, 10:59pm UTC
Donna, you can have it....I'll share!

Tonia, it is absolute ambrosia!
Joan O. Dec 9, 2007, 8:18am UTC
Oh WOW! Sonia, sounds delicious and looks amazing as well. I could go for a bowl of that right now with my cup of coffee.
Joan O. Dec 9, 2007, 8:19am UTC
After I typed my comment I read above where a bunch of poeple bought your cookbook at the demo. That's wonderful! Congrats!
jessie voigts Dec 10, 2007, 9:54am UTC
yum, sonia! i'll feature this, in dessert recipes. thank you!
Sonia M. Dec 10, 2007, 11:59am UTC
Joan, it is good any time of the day!

Jessie, thank you! Fruit salads or desserts are so good!
J W. Dec 10, 2007, 8:25pm UTC
this looks delicious.......I love fruit
Sonia M. Dec 10, 2007, 8:33pm UTC
Me to J. thank you!
Joy H. Dec 10, 2007, 8:58pm UTC
I can see why you were chosen to do a 'festive or holiday' food demonstration at the new Kino'ole Farmers Market!
Vibrant colors, beautiful fruits, the Tropical Ambrosia looks DELICIOUS!
Sonia M. Dec 10, 2007, 9:05pm UTC
;-))) Thank you, Joy.... I love the colors of the fruits and veggies.....! I told my son that this Wednesday we would go to the Farmers Market JUST to take pictures of the fruit and gorgeous vegetables....! I might do my next Gather Tropical Taste on them....
Sonia M. Dec 10, 2007, 10:57pm UTC
;-)

Thank you for the comment, GW.....I love the combination of flavors!
Dalal A. Dec 11, 2007, 3:33am UTC
Nice...I wish I were there with you.
elizabeth evans Dec 11, 2007, 5:44am UTC
Did you save me some?
Donna Spirit Dec 11, 2007, 8:34am UTC
It wouldn't be Christmas without my Mom's fruit salad, which is infinitely different than this lovely creation, its just a simple concoction of fresh and canned fruits. I love fruit salads of all shapes and sizes, but I would be banned to the kiddy table if I didn't make our old traditional salad. Maybe I'll make this on New Years.
Sonia M. Dec 11, 2007, 12:53pm UTC
Dalal & Bob.....Wish I could oblige, but you can make it with any combination of tropical fruits you can find in your area.....doesn't have to be exactly like mine.... This is just what I happened to find here.

Donna, when I lived in SC we also made an Ambrosia fruit salad for Christmas, and it was a combination of canned and fresh.....but why use canned here when I can get fresh? Each part of the country has their own unique way to make this delicious concoction....

The beauty of a fruit salad is that you can use whatever is available to you in any combination you wish!
Aaron Lazar, mystery author Dec 11, 2007, 2:30pm UTC
Mmmm Mmmm MMMMM!!! Thank you, Sonia, for yet another delicious idea!
Sonia M. Dec 11, 2007, 3:10pm UTC
;-))) Thank you, Aaron!
Debbie G. Dec 11, 2007, 3:18pm UTC
Sonia, this looks heavenly! Congratulations on it's making the Gather home page. :)
Elizabeth Madrigal Dec 11, 2007, 3:21pm UTC
This ambrosia sounds so scrumptious my mouth watered as I read the ingredients. Living in the northwest it is very difficult to find a payaya, for instance, that really tastes like one. Then again, we have our apples, so I won't complain.

Thanks for a wonderful tropical adventure!
Sonia M. Dec 11, 2007, 3:33pm UTC
Thank you, Debbie....we made another one yesterday with some of the fruit we had left from the demo plus added some green seedless grapes I had in the refrigerator.....it is ever evolving and always good!

Thank you, Elizabeth, it is scrumptious!.........but you're right! You have wonderful apples and most of the ones we get here are mealy.....!
David C. Dec 11, 2007, 8:31pm UTC
looks tasty and healthy!
Austin Cushing Dec 11, 2007, 9:09pm UTC
Thanks for Sharing!
Sonia M. Dec 11, 2007, 9:18pm UTC
Thank you, David! we love it!

Thanks Austin.....we are back in the game!
Lisa M. Dec 12, 2007, 7:19pm UTC
I love ambrosia - but I put those little colored marshmellows in mine :)
Sonia M. Dec 12, 2007, 8:06pm UTC
I love it too, Lisa....I have never put marshmallows in mine - just fruit....might have to try it sometime.
M. Bradley McCauley Dec 12, 2007, 9:01pm UTC
You could put your posts into a book--they are excellent.

Thanks for the 'mint water' suggestion when you commented on my weekly 'Quick Tips 4 U"--a good suggestion which I'm going to try.

Blessings,
Mary Mc
Sonia M. Dec 12, 2007, 9:04pm UTC
Thank you, Mary...that is so nice of you!

I love my mint water!
~~ Sarina ~~ Dec 13, 2007, 2:43pm UTC
I love ambrosia salad. Never had it with such exotic fruits. Love the idea of macadamia nuts, I usually have walnuts in mine.
Sonia M. Dec 13, 2007, 2:51pm UTC
Sarina....I use macnuts because I can get them cheaper here than I can get walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts...!

Macnuts grow here, the others have to be imported. The beauty of an ambrosia salad is that you can use whatever is available to you.
Jaye S. Dec 14, 2007, 7:39pm UTC
Yummy! Very nice and informative article. I love your pictures!
Sonia M. Dec 14, 2007, 7:47pm UTC
Thank you, Jaye!
John F Walter Dec 15, 2007, 1:29am UTC
That not only looks delicious, Sonia, but incredibly good for you ! I don´t know why I didn´t get this article delivered to my subscriber´s email, but I am glad I saw it. I would love to throw in a chirimoya and some of the other tropical fruits that are grown in the Alpujarras--the mountains south of Granada where my wife Inma is from.
Sonia M. Dec 15, 2007, 12:13pm UTC
John, I LOVE chirimoyas....we had a great chirimoya tree growing in the back patio of the house where I grew up in my hometown! ..........there were some at the market, but they were not ready enough to use that day....

The problem with using it in a salad is all the seeds you have to spit out....but the taste would be absolutely wonderful!

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