Refreshing Tropical Fruit Salad With Vanilla Mint Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• fresh mint leaves, 1 handful bruised
• 3 slices lime zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 firm ripe mangoes or 1 papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small ripe cantaloupe, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces

1. Make flavored fruit syrup by combining water, sugar, vanilla, mint and zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. When cooled to room temperature, strain syrup and stir in lime juice. At this point syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
2. Toss mango or papaya, melon and pineapple in a large bowl. Pour syrup over fruit. Toss mixture well. Cover and chill for at least 1/2 hour before serving.

water, sugar, vanilla bean, mint, lime zest, freshly squeezed lime juice, firm ripe mangoes, cantaloupe, pineapple

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/refreshing-tropical-fruit-salad-with-vanilla-mint-syrup-376476 (may not work)