* Choose a simple platter with little or no design. Crisp clean colors such as white or black highlight the fruit best.

Choosing Fruit

* Pick firm ripe fruit with a rich aroma.

* Wash and dry all the fruit.

* Crisp apples, such as a Granny Smith, melons, berries, grapes, pineapple, kiwi and apricots or plums are good choices.

* Stay away from soft apples, such as a Fuji, bananas, pears and peaches. All these fruits discolor quickly and do not make for a good choice for a fruit platter.

* Buy berries a day ahead of time, they ripen quickly and can spoil before use if they sit in the refrigerator for too many days.

* Pineapple and melon should be purchased three days ahead of time. This allows them to ripen to there peak flavor before serving.

Preparing the Fruit

* Cut apricots and plums into halves or quarters. Being sure to remove the pit.

* Kiwi should be sliced into rounds and peeled.

* All berries should be left whole. Strawberries should

* Apples should be cored and cut into wedges. To help prevent the apples from browning dip each apple wedge into a mixture of 4 cups water to 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

* Cluster grapes in groups of 7 to 8 grapes on each stem. This allows guests to pick up a cluster and easily transfer it to a plate.

Serving the Platter

* Group the fruit in clusters sectioning each individual fruit. This keeps a uniformed look to the platter.

* Sprinkle shaved coconut on top of the fruit and garnish the sides of the platter with fresh mint leaves.

About the Author

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com