These are vintage recipes that my grandmother used to prepare during the Great Depression when meat was expensive but fruits were cheap. The most expensive fruit was the coconut but one of her sisters lived in Miami where coconut palms grew wild all over the city. Whenever any of the sisters would visit the one in Miami, they returned with an extra suitcase filled with coconuts for all of the other sisters in Philadelphia. So here are some of my grandmother's favorite coconut recipes:

Blueberries and Peaches

Combine the sweetness of fresh blueberries and peaches in this first salad.

1. Peel the peaches and cut into small, bite-size pieces.
   
2. Rinse the blueberries and remove the stems.
   
3. Add shredded coconut and gently stir to combine.
   
4. Sprinkle lightly with a squirt of lemon juice.
   
5. Add salad dressing and mix thoroughly but gently to not damage the blueberries.
   
6. Chill and serve.

Apples and Cherries

The second salad combines the crunchy texture of apples with the soft texture of cherries.

1. Prepare the cherries first so that the apples will not turn brown. Remove any stems and pits from the cherries and then rinse. Cut in halves and put in bowl.
   
2. Peel and core apples and cut into small pieces.
   
3. Add to cherries in bowl.
   
4. Add shredded coconut to fruit.
   
5. Combine the fruit and coconut with salad dressing to desired consistency.
   

Note: If the apples are not very sweet then add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the salad dressing. Chill and serve.

Strawberries and Blueberries

Strawberries are a popular summer fruit. In this recipe, strawberries are combined with blueberries.

1. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and stir until all berries are coated.
   
2. Add shredded coconut and stir again.
   
3. Combine the fruit-coconut mixture with salad dressing to desired consistency.
   
4. Chill and serve.

Apricots

The sweetness of sun-ripened apricots and the crunchy texture of coconut are a good combination.

1. Peel apricots and cut into small, bite-size pieces.
   
2. Add shredded coconut.
   
3. Sprinkle lightly with lemon juice. Stir to combine.
   
4. Add salad dressing for desired consistency.
   
5. Chill and serve.

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