Fresh pineapples are the topic of today’s blog. The pineapple is a tropical fruit with far economic reaching aspects. The pineapple is actually indigenous to South America.
Peeling a Fresh Pineapple
To peel a fresh pineapple:
- First, wash the pineapple cut off the top and bottom slice.
- Then remove the peel, cut it into fourths and slice out the tough center strip.
- Lastly, cut the pineapple into bite size slices. Some people keep the top on until the very end to hold while cutting it into slices.
- Refrigerate any leftover pineapple pieces.
Pineapple Purchasing Tips
Pineapples don’t ripen after they are picked so select one free from soft spots and bruises.
Dole’s Web Site: Pulling out a center leaf from the pineapple greenery is not a sure way to tell if a pineapple is ripe.
Pineapples are sweet containing Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and manganese.
The pineapple is a regal fruit wearing a “crown”.
Brief History of Pineapples
Back in the 1820’s, the pineapple was a rare fruit only eaten by the very wealthy. Some Europeans ate pineapples they grew in greenhouses. Pineapple greenhouses are pineries.
Back then, pineapples were luxury items since it took a lot of money to keep the greenhouses warm enough to produce pineapples.
In the wild, pineapples are pollinated by birds and bats. For producing the best pineapples, however, they need to be carefully pollinated by hand. Importing humming birds to Hawaii is actually illegal since they will ruin the pineapple crop by over pollinating the pineapple flowers.
In the 20th century, the United States produced large pineapple crops along with the countries of Costa Rica, Brazil and the Philippines.
Pineapples thrive in Hawaii’s rich volcanic soil, abundant rainfall and sunshine.
The Waialua Estate, no Pineapples?
Dole Company’s website has a fascinating tab on their Waialua Estate. I began to think back to my microeconomic classes and the best economic use of land.
When sugar cane stopped production on the North Shore of the Waialua Estate in 1996, Dole began to think of the best way to use the prime Hawaiian property.
To make the most money from this land, they began to grow a variety of high cash crops such as papayas, mangos, tropical flowers, coffee, and cacao for use in chocolates.
This pineapple is on my coffee table.
Pineapples are, also, known as the Friendship Fruit symbolizing friendship and caring.
Now to have a few slices of that delicious pineapple as I post this blog.
Resource Sites: Wikipedia and the Dole Web Site.