I’ve baked cream puffs and other more involved cookeries in the past, but I have never taken the flesh from a pineapple. Silly, I know, but yesterday I bought a small pineapple and decided that I would have to tackle it. I got out my big knife, and lucky for me it was sharp. I cut right through the tough skin with ease, cutting carefully the top, bottom, and all the sides, as the juices trickled down my fingers and down my hands. Not thin juices, but with just the right amount of viscosity and slipperiness.
The smell of a pineapple is an instant transport. I can imagine the warm sun and calm tides, palm trees, orange skies, sand in my toes. With each cut I make, the scent enraptures me. A large chunk slips from my hand and falls to the floor. I take a bite size piece from the bowl of pieces that I have already cut up and pop it into my mouth. I reach down and pick up the large chunk, laughing quietly at my lack of grace in tackling this beautiful fruit; I rinse it under cold water and finish my task.
How could it be that I’ve been missing out on this simple pleasure?
4 comments:
Rebb,
The knife looks thick. Is that a special kind?
I love pineapple, but if I eat too many fresh pieces of pineapple, my mouth and throat become itchy, and I suffer with it.
Keiko,
The knife was a gift. It is a German made knife. This one is a Zwillig J.A. Henckels. A very high quality knife.
You reminded me about how I also used to feel scratchy in my throat when eating pineapple. It's been a while since I've eaten it. And yesterday, I did not experience it the scratchiness. The pineapple needs to be cut properly, meaning you have to take all those hard parts out. My cookbook suggested once you've taken the outer skin off to cut it on the diagonal, so it's easier to get those "eyes" is what they refer to them as. Have you ever cut a pineapple? If not, maybe you would have a different experience if you get all the scratchy pieces out. You will know because you can see and feel them. I just keep cutting until I have pure heaven. I don't mind wasting a little of the fruit if it will save my throat.
I always cut a pineapple the way they do in Malaysia. It's a way to get maximum flesh from the fruit whilst making sure to cut out the eyes.
First you strip the peel, leaving the eyes untouched, as they go deep. Then you cut a single spiral groove around the line of the eyes, removing them all.
Here's a link to a site which demonstrates in pictures.
Vincent, Thank you for sharing the link. The pictures are very helpful, and I also watched her video of how she cuts it. Next time I buy a pineapple, I’m going to re watch the video. She makes it look so easy, but I think it would take some practice. The cream cheese buns on her site look delicious.
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