Sweet Season

Fool: Pureed fruit that's been chilled and then gently folded into whipped cream.

Melba: A dish invented by the French chef Auguste Escoffier. Peaches are poached in syrup and cooled. They're served hollow side down over vanilla ice cream. A Melba Sauce, made with raspberries and red currant jam, is drizzled over the top.

Pie: A dish made with a crust and a filling. There can be a bottom crust, a top crust or both.

Tart: A pastry crust with shallow sides and a filling - in this case, fresh fruit.

Need something a little simpler? Try these variations for your discriminating palate.

Grilling: Cut the fruit in half and gently toss in melted butter and sugar. Lay the fruit on a sheet of aluminum foil. Grill on each side until the sugar starts to brown.

Marinating: Steep the fruit overnight in a sweet dessert wine, such as Sauterne. The fruit absorbs the wine flavor.

Roasting: Instead of grilling the fruit, pop it in a 375-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Toss a splash of vanilla and an orange liqueur in the butter for an extra injection of flavor.

Plan Ahead

Don't forget to freeze a few containers of your favorite fruit too. Imagine being able to pull out a bowl of raspberries in November! For most fruits all you need to do is cut them into bite-size pieces and put them in a Tupperware type container.

My mom always froze quite a variety of fruit each summer. Although we enjoyed it all year long, we looked forward to one occasion in particular. On Thanksgiving she made the most wonderful fruit salad. Our entire extended family marveled about all the fresh fruit and what a treat it was every year.

And finally, don't overlook making jams and preserves. If you're not comfortable with canning, try freezing. A little bit of homemade plum jam on your toast in January will help you remember that there really are four seasons.

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