Back when I was a kid in Southern California we used to always visit Uncle Sam and Aunt Pat up in the foothills of La Crescenta.  What I always loved best about Aunt Pat’s spread was her fruit salad.  No, I don’t mean ambrosia or some other facsimile that folks may think of as a fruit salad.  IMHO, honest-to-goodness fruit salad absolutely MUST have a sour cream base. 

Anyway, for the past 30 years or so I’ve incorporated Aunt Pat’s recipe into my own Thanksgiving holiday tradition.  Folks do seem to enjoy it too.  I call it “world famous” now, because I’ve been serving it up here in Korea to friends and co-workers since 2005 and if the empty bowl is any indication it’s a popular treat.  So, without further adieu, I’m going to put the recipe right here on the internet.

For a Family-size serving:

30 oz can of fruit cocktail

15 oz can of mandarin oranges

1 apple (I prefer granny smith)

3 bananas

5 oz of pecan pieces

3/4 cup coconut

1/2 cup baby marshmellows

16 oz sour cream

open and drain fruit cocktail and manadrin oranges.  cut apple into small chunks.  slice bananas into bite-size pieces.  place them all in a bowl and stir in sour cream until fruit is well covered.  mix in pecans.  add coconut and marshmellows and stir until all are well blended.  add additional coconut and/or marshmellow to sweeten to taste.

Best when chilled for two or three hours before serving.

That’s all there is to it.  Enjoy!