My new-found infatuation with seasonality stems from the fact that up until last May, I had lived in areas that had one season: summer. Although it was somewhat, for lack of a better word, sheltered… at least it was desirable weather that surrounded me and not an igloo in Antarctica. This was nice when I’d see people in piles of snow, freezing their butts off in the middle of January, and I’d be chilling on a boat in my bikini.

Since this season thing eluded me, I had no idea that certain things maintained their best flavor during their seasonal peak, based on the weather patterns. I never knew that some fruits actually thrive in colder and even absolutely freezing environments. Cue in citrus fruits and pomegranates, winter loving produce.

I decided to make a nice, fresh, healthy, and thoroughly beautiful fruit salad showcasing these fruits, along with the last harvests of apples and pears which are technically fall fruits. Look at me, using all of this seasonal lingo.

The flavors in this go well together and I would never have thought to put them alongside one another, but I’m glad I did. Delicious and fun to look at. Even in the winter.

Winter Fruit Salad

Note: this is great eaten by itself, on top of oatmeal, or on top of Greek yogurt with a little honey & cinnamon drizzled on top.

Also, I have spent so much time in my life picking seeds out of pomegranates, one by one until I discovered it’s little secret. If you cut it in half, hold it side down over a bowl, and give it a few good whacks with a wooden spoon, they all fly out effortlessly. Easy city.

To segment citrus and not get any pith, cut the top and bottom off. Then cut from top to bottom, at an angle, to remove the skin and the pith, and try to get as close to the flesh as you can. With a small pairing knife, cut out each individual segment, one by one, and you’re left with beautiful citrus slices with no skin. If you want the skin on them, that’s cool too.

2 oranges, segmented

1 grapefruit, segmented

2 apples, cored and diced

2 pears, cored and diced

1 cup pomegranate seeds, from 1 pomegranate

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Squeeze some of the citrus juice leftover from segmenting the oranges and grapefruit.