PUNTOITALY N°1 -January - June 2012

THE ITALIAN MAGAZINE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS IN GELATO, CONFECTIONERY AND TRENDY FOOD-AND-DRINK ADVANTAGES AND ADVICE Thanks to the speed at which it works, a slicer makes it pos- sible to perform precise cuts without losing the juice, thus maintaining the organoleptic properties of the fruit practically intact. Once it has been sliced and treated in the appropri- ate way, the fruit can be used just as it is, to build original fruit carpaccios to serve during a pause at dinner, or as a light snack or refreshing dessert. Monochrome dishes can be cre- ated using a single type of fruit, or else you can alternate the colours, for example using slices of white and yellow melon or different kinds of citrus fruits. • You can use any type of fruit that possesses a certain elasticity. Melons, pineapple, pears, peaches, ci- trus fruits... It is recommended that you use fruits of average size, simpler to handle and quic- ker to treat; and of average ripeness, to avoid the fresh fruit offering too much resistance to the slicing, (if it is still a bit unripe) or being crushed (if too ripe). For a better result the fruit must be whole, preferably peeled in most cases, and treated at room temperature. Question of thickness According to the type of preparation desired, the thickness of the slice may vary. The thinner it is, the softer it is, suitable for bending into attractive shapes; the thicker it is, the more rigid it is, and this risks creating problems when preparing a gar- nish. Another point is that the thinner the slices, the greater the yield of the fruit, quite an important factor in these times. Enticing display Once cut, the fruit can be served or used immediately, or else conserved until used. It may be a nice idea to lay the fruit out artistically on large platters and put them on display. This creates a pleasing effect, espe- cially if there is a pattern of different types and colours of fruit, and the result is that the cu- stomers’ eyes are so drawn to the fruit that it practically sells itself in a simply way. What and how 43