Science at Work

• Sugar, acidic liquids and alcohol all cause fruit to secrete syrupy juices, sometimes called essential oils, during the process of maceration. The juices are not oils in the normal sense of the word, but just water and other molecules that carry the aroma and flavor of the fruit. The sugar or alcohol molecules pull these essential oils from the fruit, leaving the fruit softened and juicy. Some chefs, when macerating fruit, add a pinch of salt to the mix as well, which helps to extract more juice and heighten the flavor.

Choose Any Liquid

• Acidic liquids to add to the sugar for maceration include lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar, with balsamic vinegar and strawberries providing a classic combination. But you can also experiment with liquors and liqueurs, especially those that already contain flavors of the fruit you are using or a fruit with compatible flavors, such as orange-flavored triple sec or cointreau with orange segments or raspberry-flavored framboise with raspberries.

Do It Yourself

• Macerating fruit can be as easy as sprinkling a teaspoon of sugar on cut strawberries 10 minutes before serving them, or as complicated as the two-week to six-month maceration period it takes to make a West Indies black fruitcake. To macerate any fruit, cut it first, stir the sugar and liquid into the fruit to ensure that all the fruit surfaces are coated and let the mix sit at room temperature to allow the sugar, alcohol or salt molecules to do their work.

Enjoying the Fruits of Your Labor

• Macerating transforms a simple bowl of blueberries or strawberries into an elegant dessert, with flavors that reveal the essence of the fruit. The fruit also adds more flavor to other desserts, such as trifles, fruit parfaits and ice cream toppings. In the unlikely event that any syrup remains in your serving bowl after you've served the fruit, save it for flavoring sparkling water or adding to the custard base for sorbet or ice cream.