Cyclospora and Fruit Desserts: Safer Ways to Enjoy Summer Fruits

Summer produce is one of the season’s absolute greatest pleasures, but when it comes to Cyclospora and fruit desserts, it’s a good reminder that cooking our produce is the safest option.

I love the abundance of summer fruit. Peaches, berries, plums, cherries, melons, and apricots are everywhere, and it is hard not to want to bring them all home from the market. Still, this is a time to be thoughtful. For now, I am choosing desserts made with roasted, grilled, baked, poached, or otherwise cooked fruits.

A Reminder About Cyclospora

Cyclospora is a parasite that has been linked to outbreaks from contaminated fresh produce. Unlike many other foodborne concerns, Cyclospora is not reliably removed by rinsing or washing produce. Even careful washing and scrubbing may not eliminate it.

That doesn’t mean we have to give up summer desserts. It does mean I am making some simple adjustments in my kitchen. Cooking fruit is a delicious option, and cooked fruit desserts can be every bit as beautiful, colorful, and satisfying as fresh ones.

Dried fruits work in many desserts, too. I use sulfite-free dried fruit, and it can be lovely in compotes, fillings, sauces, baked desserts, and other sweets.

Are Fruit Desserts Safe During a Cyclospora Outbreak?

Fruit desserts can still be enjoyed during a Cyclospora outbreak, but I am choosing them with extra care. My preference right now is to cook the fruit whenever possible.

Think gently simmered fruit, baked galettes, grilled peaches, poached pears, roasted berries, and warm fruit sauces. These desserts still taste like summer, and in some cases, cooking brings out even more of the fruit’s natural sweetness.

This is also a good time to enjoy desserts made with peeled fruit, cooked fruit, or fruit that has been baked into a filling. A fruit grunt, galette, cobbler, crisp, compote, or grilled fruit dessert can feel every bit as celebratory as a bowl of fresh berries.

Best Practices in My Kitchen

These are practices I follow all the time, and they are especially important now:

• I have always scrubbed the outer coverings of fruits and vegetables, including melons, avocados, citrus, really anything with a peel or rind, before cutting into them. If not, any germs on the produce can transfer to the knife and then to the food.
• Always wash your hands before, during, and after preparing food.
• Scrub your knives and cutting boards well.
• Keep produce, prep tools, and work surfaces clean.

Produce I Am Avoiding for Now

For now, it is safest to avoid fresh produce that’s been associated with Cyclospora outbreaks until public health officials determine it is safe. This includes:

• Bagged and boxed salads and salad mixes
• Clamshell boxes of fresh berries
• Fresh herbs, particularly cilantro and basil
• Fresh raspberries and blackberries
• Sugar snap peas
• Green onions
• Other imported fresh produce identified in current public health advisories

Personally, I am choosing produce from the smaller, local farms at my farmers market, and I’m happy to have herbs and tomatoes growing on my small terrace.

Cyclospora and Fruit Desserts: What I’m Making Now

There are still so many wonderful desserts to enjoy. Here are a few cooked or peeled fruit desserts I recommend right now:

• Fruit Grunt – A comforting dessert of gently cooked seasonal fruit topped with tender dumplings.
• Peach Melba – Briefly blanch and peel peaches before serving them with raspberry sauce.
• Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Cream and Pistachios – Grilling peeled peaches brings out their natural sweetness for an elegant summer dessert.
• Blueberry Galette – From my Essential Vegan Desserts course at Rouxbe. The dough I used for the galette is my olive oil pastry dough. I added a heaping teaspoon of ground cardamom from Burlap and Barrel to the macerating blueberries, oh my, and then added more plus cardamom extract to the Vanilla Pastry Cream accompaniment.

Cooked fruit can be vibrant, fragrant, and deeply satisfying, especially when paired with a smooth, creamy element. Vanilla Pastry Cream is a lovely classic to keep on hand for summer desserts. Spoon it over cooked peaches, roasted berries, poached pears, or other cooked fruits for something simple, elegant, and comforting.

And when you want something completely fruit-free, Peanut Butter Mousse or Peanut Butter Cups are always a good idea.

A few simple adjustments can help us continue to enjoy delicious summer desserts while reducing risk. In regards to Cyclospora and fruit desserts, my best advice is simple:

If you can cook it, cook it.

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