TROPICAL TASTE: The Pineapple - Symbol of Hospitality

When most people think of pineapples, they immediately picture Hawai'i, even though pineapples actually were not brought to Hawaii until around the 1700's.

Pineapples were found by Columbus' crews in the Caribbean when they first "discovered the New World" back in 1492, but the original pineapples are traditionally thought to have originated in Brazil and Paraguay, and later taken by the Carib Indians on their migrations to other destinations, such as the Islands in the Gulf of Mexico and the Upper and Lower Antilles in the Caribbean Ocean and Mid Atlantic.

The Spanish explorers thought pineapples looked like a pinecone, so they called it "Piña". The English added "apple" to associate it with juicy, delectable fruits.

The botanical name Ananas Comosus, came from the Carib word Ananas, which means ‘fragrant excellent fruit'. The Hawaiians call them Halakahiki or ‘foreign fruit'. The fruit is actually all those little scales on the pineapple rind.

Pineapples contain large quantities of Vitamin C and were used during the days of the early explorers to prevent scurvy among the crews.

The pineapple belongs to the Bromeliaceae Family of plants, and is the only Bromeliad to produce an edible bloom/fruit.  It is considered an herbaceous plant.

Some species of Bromeliads are cultivated as a source of fiber. In the Philippines they weave a beautiful sheer fabric, similar to organza, from the fibers.

The stem of the pineapple is a source for the protein-digesting enzyme Bromelain, used as a meat tenderizer. This is why you can't use pineapple in gelatin molds since this enzyme breaks down the congealing proteins.

As an interesting fact, Spanish Moss, that ghostly drapery all over trees in the Southern United States is also in the Bromeliad family, and believe it or not, you can see tiny, little star shaped blooms at the ends of the mossy strands once a year.

Traditionally Bromeliads (and pineapples) bloom (or produce fruit) only once in their lifetime.

It takes almost two years for a plant to produce bloom or fruit, but little "pups" appear underneath the bloom/fruit and under the plant itself that can be harvested for new plants. And of course, you can plant the top of the pineapple and have another plant.

We have been able to coax a plant into producing a second year, but the fruit is much smaller than the first one, though it can be sweeter.

Growing a pineapple plant at home in any climate

They are very easy to grow and are popular as houseplants in colder climates. Just take the top off, wash off, let the fleshy part dry out for about 5 days (to seal any excess openings to prevent disease and decay). You can dust with a small amount of Root-tone or something similar, but it is not necessary. At least here, in Hawaii, we just stick them in the ground in well drained soil; you must water frequently in the beginning, but don't drown them.

They like sunlight. It can later tolerate more draught and dry conditions inside a house.

Since pineapples were very expensive (they still are, even here!) during Colonial days, any hostess worth her social status made sure she had pineapples in her table centerpieces, or hanging from the front door in wreaths during the holidays.

Thus the pineapple became known as the symbol of hospitality.

PINEAPPLE-MACADAMIA CHARLOTTE

This is a very simple recipe that draws rave revues every single time we serve it. Shirley Corriher, one of my favorite cooking school teachers, taught it during a class she taught at my cooking school. The original recipe called for chopped walnuts and a raw egg to bind all the ingredients. Since the raw egg controversy, I have been omitting it with no noticeable change in the taste or consistently. Since living in Hawai'i, I have used macadamia nuts instead of walnuts.

2 packages of soft, spongy Lady Fingers
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white, granulated sugar
1 can crushed pineapples, drained
1 cup chopped unsalted Macadamia nuts (*)
Vanilla extract to taste
1 pint whipping cream

Line the bottom and sides of a straight-sided mold or glass dish, at least 2-1/2 to 3 inches deep with the Lady Fingers.

Whip the whipping cream with a small amount of sugar and refrigerate while getting the other ingredients ready

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add macadamia nuts, crushed pineapple and whipped cream (*) Fold carefully to incorporate, but don't over mix.

Pour into the Lady Finger lined mold, making at least two layers of the mix and top again with Lady Fingers. Depending on the size of your mold you should have enough Lady Fingers for three layers.

Place in refrigerator to firm up. It can be frozen for up to a week with no change in flavor. Unmold and place in a leaf or doily covered serving dish or pedestal cake plate. To serve, slice as you would a cake. It is best to cut while still slightly frozen.

(*) The macadamia nuts an be toasted. Shirley's original fast recipe called for Cool Whip, but I prefer to use whipped cream.

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(c) Sonia Martinez, Food Correspondent

Sonia's column "Tropical Taste" published bi-monthly at Food.Gather.com is an exciting look at the Cuisine of the Tropics.

I have been a gourmet/kitchen shop owner and cooking school teacher since the early 80's. I have been writing food articles as a regular columnist for several newspapers and a magazine. Some of the articles ended up compiled into a cookbook, also titled Tropical Taste, now in its second printing. A recent convert to the blogger world and am having a lot of fun with it. You can subscribe to Sonia Tastes Hawaii and keep up with my Hawaiian adventure.

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