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Pineapples
Most people believe that the pineapple is native to Hawaii however, pineapples originated in South
America and were transplanted throughout tropical areas by the Spanish and Portuguese. It was also
taken back to Europe to be grown there. The Europeans improved the fruit plant and developed pineapple
plantations before introducing them into Australia and Hawaii in the late 1700's. Today, China is the
"king" of the pineapple, producing the most pineapples in the world.
Hawaii is still the largest producer of domestically consumed pineapples. The only other state that
grows pineapples domestically is Florida, but their production is negligible.
The quality of pineapples in the supermarkets and produce markets has been greatly improved by air
shipping ripe pineapples to the mainland. Pineapples now reach most major markets within 36 hours of
their harvest. This is very important since pineapples must be picked fully ripe.
Selection & Storage
Pineapples should look fresh with deep green leaves that show no yellowing, browning or dryness. It is
imperative to select pineapples that are fully ripe since pineapples lack a starch reserve, like some
other fruit, so they will not ripen or get any sweeter after they are picked. Tugging at the inner
leaves of the crown to see if one comes out more easily or thumping their sides is not an indicator of
ripeness.
The most important thing is the smell. Ripe pineapples should give off a good, fresh tropical smell, so
avoid pineapples that give of an unpleasant odor or have any discoloration of the skin. Also avoid
pineapples that have soft spots and dark or watery eyes. The eyes of the pineapple are those thorny
studs within the puffy squares of the skin.
The Central American pineapple is still green when ripe and sometimes the Hawaiian pineapples may still
be green when they are ripe. The true test for ripeness in all pineapples, especially green ones, is to
look at the bottom of the fruit. A yellow color breaking through the bottom indicates that sugar has
developed in the pineapple and it is ready to eat. If no yellow coloring exists, the sugar has yet to
be developed and the pineapple will not be sweet.
Ripe pineapples should be covered in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss and stored in a
refrigerator. Store the pineapples close to the door since they are best stored at a temperature around
45°F. Pineapples stored correctly will last several days in the refrigerator.
In addition to whole pineapples, large supermarkets and produce markets sell pineapple cylinders that
are already cored and peeled. They may also sell pineapples by the slice or in chunks. Cut pineapple
should be tightly wrapped or put in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator until consumed. Cut
pineapple will maintain is flavor for only a couple of days, so enjoy it quickly.
Preparation
Preparing a pineapple can be time consuming but it is well worth it. The preparation process involves
peeling, removing the eyes and removing or cutting around the fibrous center core. First trim the top
and bottom to the flesh with a sharp knife. Then, with the pineapple upright, slice off the shell or
skin in sheets. With a sharp paring knife, remove the eyes by making diagonal cuts across the flesh
just deep enough to lift out the section that contains the eye.
After peeling the skin and removing the eyes you will need to cut out the center core. There are two
popular ways to remove the core. The first way is to work around the center core by cutting lengthwise
wedges off the cylinder that come to the point at the core. Secondly, you can cut slices crosswise and
remove the cores individually with a 1-inch cookie cutter.
Cubed pineapple tastes great in kebabs with other fruit, fish or poultry. They are also common in fruit
salad with other tropical fruit such as bananas, papayas and mangoes.
A hollowed out shell makes an attractive boat for fruit salads, or chicken or seafood salads. To hollow out a shell,
choose a rather small pineapple and cut in half lengthwise, right through the crown or leaves. Remove the inner core
by making a V cut underneath it, then lifting it out. With a short, sharp knife, cut all around the inside of the fruit
leaving a ½ inch thick rim all around. Lift out the fruit inside the cavity and cut into ½ inch chunks or melon ball shapes.
Prepare the salad with the cubes or balls of pineapple and fill the cavity. Again, the attached leaves add to the decoration.
To keep the boat from rocking, it may be necessary to cut a thin slice from the bottom of each half.
Tony's Tip
Fresh pineapple should not be used in recipes with gelatin. It contains the enzyme bromelain that
digests and softens gelatin, so use only canned pineapple in molded gelatin salads. For the same
reason, fresh pineapple should not be mixed with dairy products such as cottage cheese or sour cream
until the dish is ready to be served.
Tony's Favorite Recipe
Stuffed Pineapple Boats
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Varieties
Smooth Cayenne, grown in Hawaii, is the primary pineapple variety in the world. This variety weighs
between 3-5 ½ pounds and is known for its high acid and sugar content. The Smooth Cayenne has recently
been transplanted successfully to Central America.
The difference between the Hawaiian Smooth Cayenne and the Central America variety is the color of their
skin when they are ripe. When ripe, the Hawaiian pineapple is golden tan or reddish orange color while
the Central American varieties are still green.
Champaka is a variety of the Smooth Cayenne.
Del Monte Gold is a recent variety, which is a sweet, deep yellow pineapple that has a hint of a coconut
flavor.
Spanish or Red Spanish, Queen, and the Pernambuco are some other pineapple varieties.
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