The pulp of this tropical fruit contains a complex of nutrients, thanks to which it has healing properties. But not only the benefits of pineapple, but also its taste encourage people to decorate the festive table with it along with other fruits. But since this fruit is exotic, many people have many questions: from how to choose, cut pineapple, how is it useful, to how to serve pineapple on the table.
Pineapple is not the cheapest product, and therefore it will be very unpleasant to lose money if the purchase is unsuccessful.
How to choose a pineapple
Don't let it seem strange to you that the ripeness of a pineapple depends on its value directly. The fact is that the homeland of this plant is the distant tropics, and delivery involves two options: sea and air. The sea route, of course, will be long, and therefore pineapples are cut for such transportation completely unripe, and even being delivered to our stores, they can be either still green, or, on the contrary, overripe. But the fruits sent for sale by plane are harvested already ripe enough, because the flight is not a long matter. Transportation by air, of course, is more expensive, but the product in this case will also be of better quality.
Now for the details. Pineapples come in many varieties, just like any other fruit: apples, pears, etc. Smaller varieties are considered more tasty, large ones will be less sweet.
First of all, when buying, we will pay attention to the "sultan", the green tail of the fruit. Firstly, it should scroll a little, and secondly, its leaves should be quite easily separated from the pineapple itself if you pull them. But be careful: the tops can be separated too easily from overripe or, even worse, rotten fruit. The leaves should be thick and not dry, not withered.
Next, we examine the fetus itself. Its color can be green even in ripe pineapples, but brown spots can indicate rotting that has begun. Then we check the pineapple for density: the ripe one will be softish, but elastic, the hard one should be returned to the counter and continue the search elsewhere.
Smell is another important criterion when choosing. A ripe fruit will have a sweetish delicate aroma, green will not smell at all, but a rich sugary smell will indicate that the process of decay or fermentation has already begun. By the way, the vinegar smell will also indicate the fermented fruit.
Well, you can add one more criterion for buyers with good hearing: a dull sound will be an accessory of a ripe fruit, and an "empty" sound will tell about a dried one.
When the question of how to choose the right pineapple is resolved, the product is bought and brought home, and the time for the solemn feast is approaching, new questions arise: how to peel, cut the pineapple and serve it to the table.
How to cut pineapple
Peel the tropical delicacy before slicing it. There are several possible answers to the question of how to peel a pineapple, everything will depend on how you decide to serve the pineapple to the table.
The first method is quite simple: the fruit is cut into rings and after cutting it is freed from the peel. You can serve either whole rings or cut in half. But this option is not entirely successful, since it is not possible to put such a large piece in your mouth entirely, and when biting off, the fruit juice gets on the corners of the lips and causes irritation. So it is best to choose the finer slicing options.
The most win-win way is probably the following: the pineapple is washed, the top is not cut off, just the fruit is cut along right with the tops together. The pulp is carefully removed so that the integrity of the peel is not compromised. From the peel, 2 troughs are obtained, which are filled with pulp cut into small enough pieces. These pieces will be convenient to eat, and for more comfort, you can stick skewers or toothpicks into them.
In southeastern countries, pineapple is almost always cut like this: together with the top, it is first cut in half lengthwise, then each half is cut into 2 more pieces. The pulp is delicately removed, which is then cut into slices and placed back on the boat rind. The trick is that the pieces move relative to each other, it turns out very nicely and not time consuming.
How to store pineapple
Pineapple is a southern, tropical fruit, and therefore afraid of low temperatures. If it happens that its stay at a temperature below +7 degrees, then the delicacy will lose its aroma and will be practically tasteless.
At room temperature, pineapple (if it is already ripe enough) is not recommended to be stored for a long time, it must be eaten within a few days. If the fruit has already been cut, then you cannot store it without a refrigerator at all. The remaining cut pieces are best packed either in freezer bags or in special containers and sent to the freezer. In this form, you can save the pineapple for up to six months. It is worth considering that when frozen, part of the taste of the product will be lost.
The whole fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for about ten days.
But what if the purchased pineapple turned out to be green? How to store pineapple at home so that it ripens?
Ethylene helps all vegetables and fruits ripen faster (and pineapple is no exception). Where can I get it? Ripe fruits excrete ethylene. Therefore, green, unripe pineapples are placed next to ripe apples or pears. You can wrap the pineapple in several layers of paper and simply line it with ripe tangerines or oranges.
It is worth checking the fruit more often for ripeness (you can use the method of pulling out a leaf of the tops), otherwise you can miss the moment and the product will start to rot.
The benefits of pineapple
The beneficial properties of pineapple are the presence of bromelain. It is a digestive enzyme that breaks down protein. Bromelin has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, as it is able to dissolve blood clots. It has been reported to heal urinary tract infections. Apparently, this effect is achieved due to the ability to enhance the effect of antibiotics. Since bromelain breaks down proteins, it will be useful to drink pineapple juice with a rich meal.
Despite the fact that pineapple promotes digestion, it has a unique feature - it dulls the feeling of hunger. Therefore, some people who want to lose weight arrange a pineapple diet for themselves.
And one more question remains unresolved: is the pineapple a fruit or a vegetable?
An interesting interpretation was given by one little boy, who said that all that is healthy is vegetables, and what is tasty is fruits. It's hard to disagree with a child. But pineapple, as it turned out, has both qualities. Disputes about this are common.
For some, it will be a discovery that pineapple is a herbaceous plant. A grass surrounded by dense leaves, in the center of which is an inflorescence. After fertilization, the inflorescence turns into a fruit. Pineapple is closest to rye and wheat, no matter how strange it may seem.
