Macerated Fruit

I came across a dessert recipe that called for macerated strawberries. I thought, hmmm, I don't know if I've ever heard of macerated strawberries. What might those be? So, I typed it into the computer and found out that basically macerated fruit is when you soak it in liquid so that it absorbs the flavor of the liquid. It also typically makes the fruit a bit juicier and sweeter because of the liquid that it is absorbing.

Many people already know how to macerate fruit. It's often done using a bit of sugar and lemon juice and then letting your fruit sit in the fridge for a few hours so the sugars and liquid absorb into the fruit to make it juicier. In fact, I have been macerating fruit for years and just never knew that was the term that was used to describe the process. I did find some interesting information though when I started researching. There are many "agents" that you can use to macerate your fruit, for example sugar and lemon juice, alcohol, and balsamic vinegar just to name a few.

Here are a few websites on the basics in macerating fruit:
basic instructions - ehow.com
another basic - ehow.com
with balsamic vinegar (haven't tried this one yet) - balsamic vinegar


Hmmmm . . . now what should I use those macerated strawberries for . . .? I guess you'll have to wait and see.