Culinary Uses Of Pineapple

Pineapples usually conjure up images of Hawaii for me. I wasn't exactly sure why--it must be marketing for it.

Pineapples have been a major crop of Hawaii but it did not originate there.

Its name really has no direct meaning that you would expect. It doesn't really look or taste like an apple, except it kind of looks like a pine cone with its pattern of spikes on the outer body.

What first comes to mind when I think pineapple is desserts and drinks. Pineapples used as cups look great! I don't know how practical they are, but it is a creative, attractive way to present a beverage.

Pineapple upside down cake is probably the most popular dessert using pineapple. It is a rich cake, infused with a sugar solution and pineapples on the top. It is called upside down since the cake is inverted onto a plate for the final presentation so the pineapples show on top.

I also think of Dole Whip. Dole whip is a pineapple flavored icy dessert, which I first had at an amusement park!

Pineapple contains an enzyme very useful in breaking down protein, so it is common to see pineapple, or its juices used to marinate and tenderize meat. Some will contest that its effects are negligible, but it still tastes great. My favorite taco filling, al pastor, is a pork marinated with pineapple.

All these culinary uses of pineapple would not be possible if you can't actually open up the fruit though. It would be pretty tough without a decent knife, or a pineapple cutter. It's not like an apple or an orange where you can just peel it with a vegetable peeler or a small knife.

You'll need some real gusto. Try out the Rosle pineapple cutter if you're looking for one that looks great and gets the job done well.

Pineapples have been recorded to have been discovered as early as the fourteenth and fifteenth century. It is a tropical fruit and one of many which causes an allergic reaction for many people.