Lucinda Frye
Diverse and indigenous cuisine brought by the many ethnic people to St. Maarten from all over the world piques our interest. To this end, we are on a quest to find where it comes from, if it is used for celebrations, if it is exotic to some but normal food to others. Anything to do with keeping the body and soul nourished with what is produced from good old terra firma is what makes the world go around.
In architecture, pineapple figures are a decorative element symbolizing hospitality. Usually in plaster or carved wood, pineapples images occur in finials, pendants, “broken” pediments, and door knockers.
The original name of the pineapple fruit comes from the Tupi word nanas, meaning “excellent fruit”, and the word comosus, meaning “tufted”, referring to the stem of the fruit which was first recorded in 1555. Other members of the genus Ananas are often called pine in other languages.
European explorers encountered this tropical fruit in the Americas around 1664; they called them “pineapples” in reference to the pine cones they looked similar to. The word “pineapple” in English was first recorded to describe the reproductive organs of pine cones (the kind we use at Christmas time for decoration) that come from pine trees.
The pineapple was used in European culture as a symbol of welcome and hospitality. In those long-ago days, pineapples were cultivated in the European climes in hothouses. These tropical fruits could only be tasted by those who had access to these hothouses. When eventually many of the explorers started to follow Columbus, they were delighted to find these fruits available for them to taste. And who does not enjoy pineapple?
The pineapple was a luxury only enjoyed by few back then, until the Portuguese, French, Dutch and British started establishing pineapple plantations in South and Central America, and the Caribbean.
Today, we all associate pineapples with the Hawaiian Islands (the pineapple is sometimes used as a symbol of Hawaii) due to the large pineapple plantations of the Dole company. This industry appears to be slowing down these days.
In the wild, pineapples are pollinated primarily by hummingbirds. Certain wild pineapples are foraged and pollinated at night by bats. Under cultivation in Hawaii, pollination is performed by hand. Although humming birds are very instrumental in the pollination of pineapples, the importation of hummingbirds to Hawaii was prohibited.
The plant is indigenous to South America. It is thought that the pineapple originated somewhere between southern Brazil and Paraguay. The natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay took the pineapple along with them as they explored; it eventually reached the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The Mayas and the Aztecs were instrumental in cultivating the plant.
The first European to see and taste this wonderful tropical fruit was Columbus. He was in Guadeloupe in 1943 and loved the fruit so much he took it back to Spain with him. He called it “piña de Indes” (“pine of the Indians”).
The Portuguese took the fruit from Brazil and introduced it into India sometime during the 1550’s. The Spanish introduced pineapples to the Philippines and Hawaii in the early 19th century with the first commercial plantation being planted in1886. The pineapple was also introduced to the Rhodesia’s (now Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi) and Guam.
The pineapple was introduced to northern Europe by the Dutch; they took the first plants and fruit from their colony in Suriname. The first successful cultivation took place in 1658 when a Dutchman set about the plantings at Meerburg.
England has a stunning public botanical garden called Chelsea Gardens. Here the gardener’s plant tropical plants in large glasshouses. In 1723, a huge “pineapple stove” was built to grow the plants. The expense of importing the fruit and the equipment and labour required to grow them in the hothouses (called “pineries”) made the eating of pineapples a symbol of wealth, although research shows they were not eaten as often as they were used in over abundant displays at dinner parties.
King Louis XV was presented with a pineapple that had been grown at Versailles in 1733. Catherine the Great ate pineapples grown on her own estates before her death in 1796.
Many years back, The Passionate Foodie’s family went on a road trip up the West coast of Africa to a small town where there was a regatta on for the long Easter weekend. The sailors all camped in a huge campsite set under eucalyptus trees. The town ran dry – there was not water in the dams.
Pineapples were being sold on the roadsides. On the road trip on the way up, we had bought a huge box of about 20 pineapples (they were very inexpensive). We skinned the fruit and then cut them into four and gave the “pineapple lollies” to the kids to eat.
The adults soaked the fruit in rum and enjoyed these with appetizers at the end of the exhausting racing. Those were the days or youthful imbibing, crazy sailing and camping out under the stars – what memories!
In many tropical countries, pineapple is prepared and sold on roadsides as a snack. It is sold whole or in halves with a stick inserted.
Growing pineapples in our backyard
Pineapple plants are propagated by planting the cut-off crowns of a mature fruit – those from the supermarket will grow just fine.
First, carefully slice the top off a mature pineapple. Cut away any actual fruit flesh. Let this crown sit somewhere dark for a week. Let air get to the cut, this will help it dry so that it doesn’t rot once planted.
Plant the crown directly into a well-prepared bed in the garden. You can also plant it in a large pot (5 gallon size pot) – use potting soil or Miracle Grow. Give it a good watering and keep the pot in a sunny location (inside or out). This potted plant can be transplanted after three months or just leave it in the large pot. Wherever you situate the pot, make sure there is space to walk around it as the leaves are prickly.
Pineapples don’t need that much water. Give them a regular feeding of standard fertilizer if they are in the ground, once every three months. Once the fruit has grown, do not rush to pick it, pineapples don’t ripen once picked. You can freeze your cut pineapples for up to six months. Frozen pineapple will soften a bit when thawed, but will still retain much of its texture.
RECIPES
Pineapple can be added to carrot cake.
Grill slices over coals or cook in a little butter in a frying pan (add a little warm rum to frying pan and flambé.
Pineapple rings on a baked ham (set with a cherry in the middle) and sprinkled with brown sugar is a well-known holiday dish.
Pineapple upside down cake.
Pineapple is great as a pizza topping.
Sticky pineapple chicken served in a half pineapple with rice is a wonderful party dish.
Pineapple Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
2 ripe pineapples
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Custard ingredients
1½ cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
6 large eggs, plus 6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup plus 1 TBL white sugar
9 tsp castor sugar
Whipped cream
Garnish – fresh sliced strawberries, mint leaves, whipped cream, pineapple leaves
Method
Slice the bottom and the tops off from each pineapple.
Using scissors; snip off and refrigerate 12 to 18 of the best-looking, small pineapple leaves.
Cut pineapples cross-wise into 6 rounds, each about 1½-inch thick – do not peel the rounds (set rest of pineapple aside for another use).
To make the pineapple bowls for the custard, use a small, sharp knife to cut an incision about ¼-inch from the edge of each slice, all around the inside circumference of the pineapple skin.
Be sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom.
Use a melon baller to scoop out and discard the central core – remember to leave about ¼ inch of fruit on the bottom of the “bowl”.
Scoop out the pineapple to leave a shell (the skin) about ¼-inch thick.
Finely chop 2 cups of pineapple flesh into a bowl, add brown sugar.
Cook pineapple mixture until juices have evaporated and pineapple pieces are golden.
Cool completely then stir in ½ tsp vanilla, cover, chill 4 hours or more.
Custard
Bring cream to a simmer.
Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk eggs, yolks and sugar in a bowl.
Whisk in hot cream.
Return to saucepan, cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. Do Not Boil.
Pour custard through a sieve into a bowl, add 1 tsp vanilla.
Cover with plastic wrap, cool completely four hours or more.
Divide pineapple mixture evenly among pineapple shell bowls.
Place on a baking sheet, spoon custard into each round and smooth the tops.
Cover each with parchment paper and refrigerate until serving, at least 1 hour or more.
Sprinkle each custard serving evenly with 1½ tsp castor sugar.
Using a culinary torch caramelize the sugar.
Top with a little whipped cream and garnish with a couple pineapple leaves and sliced strawberries.
