Picture this: a salad that looks like a candle, complete with a cherry ‘flame’ on top. Sounds fun, right? That’s exactly what a Candle Salad is! This quirky and delightful recipe originated in the 1920s as a way to make fruits more appealing to children. But let’s be honest, adults enjoy it just as much! The Candle Salad is a perfect blend of sweet pineapple, creamy banana, and tangy cherry, all brought together by a lettuce base. It’s not only visually enticing but also a healthy treat. And the best part? It’s super easy to make! In this post, I’ll show you how to create this fun salad that’s sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- lettuce
- pineapple slices
- banana
- mayonnaise
- cherries
Salad Assembly
- Put one lettuce leaf on each plate.
- Lay a pineapple slice on top of each lettuce leaf.
- Stand 1/2 a banana in the hole of each pineapple.
- Top the banana with a bit of mayonnaise.
- Put a cherry on top of the mayonnaise.
Calorie: 150
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy

Welcome to My Kitchen Chronicles: The Flamboyant Candle Salad
Welcome, dear readers! Today, we’re embarking on a culinary journey that’s going to take us into the riotous land of fruits, greens, and – hold onto your hats – mayonnaise. That’s right, today we’re crafting the iconic, the legendary, the let’s-just-say-it’s-unique Candle Salad.
The Cast of Characters: Lettuce, Pineapple, Banana, Mayonnaise and Cherries
Our ingredients today are somewhat of an oddball ensemble, like if the cast of Friends suddenly included Chewbacca. We’ve got the crisp, cool lettuce, the tropical pineapple slices, the everyday banana, the divisive mayonnaise, and the darling cherries. You might be wondering how all these ingredients will get along. Well, my friends, the kitchen is a place of magic and inexplicable friendships.
Step 1: The Foundation – Lettuce Leaf & Pineapple Slice
First off, we’re going to lay down one lettuce leaf on each plate. Think of it as the red carpet for the pineapple slice that you’re going to gently lay on top. It’s like a tiny edible island, a tropical paradise in the sea of your dinner plate. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to vacation on Pineapple Island?
Step 2: The Towering Banana
Next, we’re going to stand half a banana in the hole of each pineapple slice. I know, I know, bananas are typically more of a lounging-around-the-fruit-bowl kind of fruit. But today, they’re stepping up their game (quite literally) and reaching for the sky. This step requires firm bananas, folks. None of those overripe, mushy banana types need apply.
Step 3: The Mayonnaise Dilemma
Now comes the part that might cause a few raised eyebrows. Yes, we’re dolloping mayonnaise on top of the banana. Why, you ask? Well, some questions are best left unanswered. Just remember, cooking is all about experimentation. It’s what separates us from the animals. That, and opposable thumbs.
Step 4: The Cherry On Top
Finally, we’re going to crown our creation with a cherry. It’s not just any cherry; it’s the cherry that survived the odds, outlasted its siblings, and emerged victorious to sit atop our Candle Salad. It’s the cherry that will make you forget there’s mayonnaise on your banana.
The Culinary Masterpiece: Candle Salad
Voila! There you have it – a salad that’s more of a conversation starter than a side dish. But hey, life’s too short for boring salads, right? So, dive in, and remember, the person who said “don’t play with your food” obviously never made a Candle Salad.
Remember, folks, the kitchen is not just a place to cook. It’s a place to create, to experiment, and to occasionally stare at a banana covered in mayonnaise and ask yourself, “What on earth am I doing?” Until next time, happy cooking!