Tropical Bounty – Pineapple
September 27, 2010 No Comments
Pineapples come from South America, but seafarers who’ve eaten them on shipboard and thrown the crowns overboard are responsible for propagation throughout the tropics.
Pineapples must ripen before they are cut, so availability was limited until fast ships were able to bring them to markets in temperate zones. Yellow to orange skin means they are fully ripe. However, a little green tinge will usually be present on most supermarket pineapples – a compromise that allows the pineapple to ship without spoilage. Contrary to popular wisdom, pineapples do NOT ripen once they are cut and shipped. What you buy is as ripe as it is going to get. Letting it sit just increases the chances that it will ferment or rot. So buy and eat as soon as you can.
We can eat pineapple raw or cooked. It goes well with meats or eaten by itself. By the way, the name comes from the physical resemblance to a pine cone – the nearest relative is Spanish moss!
Pineapple contains an enzyme that can be harmful to people with certain blood or protein disorders, however it is broken down by heat, so these people can eat it canned or cooked. The enzyme makes raw pineapple juice a good choice for a marinade or meat tenderizer.
Until the 20th century pineapple was considered a weed in the Hawaiian Islands.
Photo taken at Rainbow Grocery Cooperative in San Francisco by permission of members of the PR committee.
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