Skeleton Fruit Tray

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Makes 20 as part of a spread servings

1 small seedless watermelon or large cantaloupe for the skull and body sections (cut into rounds and strips)
4 bananas peeled and sliced into rounds (for ribcage)
4 cups about 500 g green grapes (for pelvis and joints)
3 kiwi fruit peeled and sliced into ovals (for vertebrae and fingers)
2 cups about 250 g strawberries, hulled (for shoulder and hip joints)
2 oranges peeled and separated into segments (for limb bones)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice to brush over bananas and kiwi
2 blueberries for skull eye sockets
Large rectangular wooden board or serving platter at least 45x60 cm / 18x24 in

Cut a round cross-section from the centre of the melon about 15 cm (6 in) in diameter for the skull. Use a small round cookie cutter or knife to cut two eye-socket circles from the round, then fill the holes with blueberries. Place the skull at the top centre of the board.
Below the skull, lay five to six banana rounds in two curving parallel rows to form the ribcage shape, leaving a narrow gap between the left and right sides.
Arrange a cluster of green grapes in an oval shape below the ribcage to represent the pelvis.
For the spine, lay a single column of kiwi ovals between the ribcage rows and continuing into the pelvis area.
Build the arm bones: line orange segments end to end outward from the shoulder area (top of the ribcage), bending slightly at the elbow point. Use strawberry halves at the shoulder and elbow joints.
Build the leg bones: continue orange segments downward from the pelvis, bending at the knee. Add kiwi slices as the lower leg and three small strawberry pieces as the feet and toes.
Brush banana and kiwi pieces with lemon juice to prevent browning. Serve within 2 hours.