Not about cake...but you ladies are so smart I thought you'd know!

I would like to send somebody an Edible Arrangement basket for their birthday next month, but the prices are so high (yes I know what you are thinking...I charge a lot for cakes...haha...but I don't BUY them, I MAKE them!) haha.... so... I was thinking for half the cost I could buy a cute basket from Michaels and some flower foam and skewers and make a nice arrangement myself. I already have plenty of dipping chocolate, would just need to buy the fruit.

My question is...does anybody know if the fruit is treated with something? Or do they just choose fruit that does not get old quickly? I figure I can just print off an edible arrangement photo and kinda use that to work from but I don't know if I will have to treat the fruit with something...I know there is some sort of "fruit fresh" powder you can buy but I don't want to add that unless I have to.

Ideas? Will anxiously await somebody to share with me the edible arrangement secrets! haha.

You'd def need to use Fruit Fresh. I'm sure they use something similar, or perhaps that very product.

I made an edible fruit arrangement last year for a baby shower, I made it a day ahead of time. placed in frig. over night after wrapping it with loose clear gift basket wrap Then I had to travel with it for 2 hours, had my air cond. on in car set as low as possible because it was 85 degrees that day.

First I found a lovely bowl container, I used a dense head of lettuce inside container to support the skewers of fruit, first I cut a flat bottom on lettuce. You can use a head of cabbage BUT I was glad I didn't because once you start sticking in all the skewers it gets harder and harder to push them in.
I used a large metal cookie cutter in the shape of a flower to cut out pineapple - must use a rubber mallet or hammer to get a really clean cut on pineapple.
Fruit I used: canteloupe, honeydew, grapes, strawberries and chocolate covered strawberries. Only problem I had was making sure strawberries were firm enough, they had a tendency of wobbling on skewers if too soft.

I took picture, but can't find it on my computer at the moment

Hope this helps! - it was really, easy to do and was about the 1/4 to 1/3 the price of major brand name

No, I didn't have a problem with the strawberries leaking. Maybe you could place those skewers in right before you deliver the arrangement.
I used the lettuce because it gave some weight to the bottom. Arrangement starts to get top heavy with all of the fruit

I just tried to post a picture of my fruit arrangement. The photo moderator messaged me and said only decorated cakes and cookies are allowed.

If you want a picture emailed to you, just pm me your email address.

BTW Suzy, I love all of your cakes - You Rock!

We almost bought an Edible Arrangements franchise a couple of years ago. We went to Connecticut and did the whole tour of the headquarters, etc. Yes, they use fresh fruit, from locally grown farmers in the area. They use heads of lettuce and leafy green lettuce for the centers and then push the skewers into the lettuce. All the fruit is washed and dried and incredibly moist! I've gotten and given these arrangements numerous times and have never had a single piece of fruit drip or melt. All arrangements are made per order, refrigerated, covered with cellophane and delivered the same day. Good luck!

No preservatives were added at all! They are extremely picky about the fruit they buy from the local growers. It's really a great product.

For the pineapple flowers...you probably do NOT core the pineapple, right? You cut it from the center of whole pineapple cross-sections?

Believe it or not, they actually have a machine that cuts the pineapple into the flower shapes. But, yes, you just cut across the pineapple in slices and then use your flower cutter to cut out the shape. If you don't want the core piece to be in your arrangement, just use a small round cutter, cut out the core and put a melon ball in the middle of your pineapple as the center. It looks cute this way, plus it adds a little more color.

I did NOT core the pineapple, this really gave the skewer a hard place to grip. I placed a toothpick to size in center of pineapple to hold a melon ball or blueberry.

Don't they soak the fruit pieces in simple syrup before towel drying and skewering them?

I know this is way after the fact, but one other important thing to know is they use special plastic skewers. They have little "knobs" on them to hold the fruit in place. My friend and I made a fruit bouquet for a party and had many problems with our fruit flowers staying in place. Not sure if you can find these knobby skewers anywhere, but it does make a BIG difference.

I actually kept them from an edible arrangement that someone sent me lol