Pineapples are difficult to buy when available and even harder to find ripe, sweet, with flesh that’s yielding and not hard. I hit the jack pot at the farmer’s market last Saturday. A large pineapple turning a lovely yellowy orange caught my eye. It looked good; I instinctively picked it up and bought it. I am no expert and my purchase was intuitive rather than educated.
I let it ripen at home on its side for five days. Today I opened it and discovered the most delicious fruit inside, it sort of blew my mind. It’s juicy, sweet with a fabulous flavour!
Buying and eating the best fresh fruit reminds me how joyful eating can be. It’s extraordinary there are so many diverse, fabulous tasting fruits to enjoy. Fruit really is manna from heaven. What makes it even better is knowing fruit keeps me young, strengthens my immune system, provides critical glucose, fights pathogens and keeps me healthy, energised and happy. How good is that?
Fresh Pineapple
Ingredients
1 large, fresh chemical free or organic pineapple (with green, fresh looking leaves, skin a yellowy orange, a sweet smell coming from its base and flesh that yields slightly when pressed)
Method
Wash the entire pineapple with cold water. On a large wooden cutting board, place with pineapple on its side. Using a large, sharp knife, slice off the green leaves on the top and the base. Turn the pineapple upwards and cut off the outer skin around the pineapple removing any unsavoury or bruised bits.
Once you have a barrel-like shape of pineapple flesh, turn it on its side and slice. Cut the slices in to bite size chunks. Enjoy right away, add to a fruit salad, regular salad, soup or oatmeal. Store whatever you don’t eat in a glass container with an airtight lid in the refrigerator.