The new fruit craze is a great idea for picky little eaters, writes Marchelle Abrahams, who also tries her hand at it.
I ask my editor in confusion. “Tutti Frutti,” She laughs in reply. My mind goes blank – I’ve never heard of this fruit snack before.
A quick Google search yields pictures and dozens of how-to videos of 3D masterpieces all made from fruit.
There is a whole world out there where fruits are carved into animal shapes, from birds to crabs to lions – you name it, it’s there.
Apparently it’s big in schools.
Moms take the Tutti Frutti challenge very seriously when called upon to create edible creatures for little munchkins to snack on for healthy treat days.
Forget your run-of-the mill radish roses or melon balls, these moms mean business and they’re all fighting for the Master of Tutti Frutti crown.
It’s a great idea for picky little eaters, especially for those who don’t like eating fruit. And it’s also a fun way to get the kids involved by roping them in to make their own creations.
By the time we were one hedgehog down, my eight-year-old had already made a mouse (at least I think that’s what it was) and a pig.
I set myself up for failure on the first attempt.
I went for something simple and decided on a swan carved from watermelon. This should be a breeze, I thought. I was so wrong! The result was a complete dud. The watermelon flesh kept crumbling, spitting black pips and watermelon peel.
On to Plan B and I settled on a hedgehog pear. It turned out to be quite a fun experience and the kids actually ended up eating it afterwards. Here’s how to make it:
What you’ll need:
- A few firm pears
- Green or red seedless grapes
- Olives
- Cloves
- Toothpicks
- Sharp paring knife
Instructions:
Cut a small slice off the bottom of the pear, making sure it has a sturdy base once you place it on a stable surface. Peel off the skin around the neck area right around the pear. Cut off a small tip of the stem, leaving just a small stub exposed. Cut olive in half and place it on exposed stem – this is now the nose. Make two eyes by cutting out two circles on the exposed flesh surface of the pear and place a clove in each “eye socket”.
This is where the fun part begins and you can get the kids to help as well.
The hedgehog spines are made with grapes pushed through a toothpick and then inserted into the unskinned part of the pear. Proceed to do this until the entire half of the pear is covered in grape “spines”. And voilà, you have a hedgehog!
Peel off the skin around the neck area right around the pear.
The hedgehog spines are made with grapes pushed through a toothpick and then inserted into the unskinned part of the pear.
The finished product