Spring Out Of Your Old Routine
I was walking by a display in a store in Truckee, CA, while I was up there on business and saw the tropical display holders that Melissa’s provides retailers to help liven up their produce departments. This display did exactly what it was intended for and got me to stop and see what was available. I picked up a Starfruit and Papaya, two fruits I rarely buy. Not because I don't like them, more because there are so many other Melissa's organic fruit varieties that I like better.
Something I really love is organic pineapple! Cutting into this regal fruit makes any occasion special. Just be sure its bottom is golden yellow, otherwise, it may not be ripe: pineapples ripen from the base up. Overall skin tone may vary depending on where they are grown; Hawaiian fruit ripens red with a yellow undertone, whereas Philippine or Central American fruit ripens green with a yellow undertone. To be sure, a good, sweet aroma will tell you it’s ready to eat. Pulling on the leaves or thumping the sides does not indicate ripeness. To ripen to perfection, keep it on the counter; if needed, wrap ripe fruit in plastic and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
Native to Paraguay and Brazil, the pineapple was traded and carried north to the Caribbean via centuries of migration. On one of his first voyages, Columbus tasted pineapple and brought some back to Spain, where sugar was expensive and sweet fruit was held in high esteem. It became a status symbol of royal privilege. King Charles II of England even posed for a portrait receiving one. In colonial America, hostesses would rent a pineapple for a table display as a symbol of hospitality and wealth. Once rented, the pineapple would later be sold for eating.
Fortunately for us, Melissa’s keeps our stores in great supply so we can eat it whenever we want. I do think it would be kind of cool to invite friends over and have a bowl of tropical fruit on the table topped with a pineapple as a way to impress your guests and provide for an interesting dinner conversation.
I love it fresh and grilled but there are many recipes to choose from if you want to get a little more creative. If you like salsa, Pineapple Salsa can provide a tasty dip or topping for any occasion. Dennis Linden has a wonderful recipe for Roasted Papaya & Pineapple that the entire family can create together.
Hopefully, this will do what the Melissa’s display did for me, which is to get out of my routine and try more of the organic fruits and vegetables that I love but rarely buy.
Something I really love is organic pineapple! Cutting into this regal fruit makes any occasion special. Just be sure its bottom is golden yellow, otherwise, it may not be ripe: pineapples ripen from the base up. Overall skin tone may vary depending on where they are grown; Hawaiian fruit ripens red with a yellow undertone, whereas Philippine or Central American fruit ripens green with a yellow undertone. To be sure, a good, sweet aroma will tell you it’s ready to eat. Pulling on the leaves or thumping the sides does not indicate ripeness. To ripen to perfection, keep it on the counter; if needed, wrap ripe fruit in plastic and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
Native to Paraguay and Brazil, the pineapple was traded and carried north to the Caribbean via centuries of migration. On one of his first voyages, Columbus tasted pineapple and brought some back to Spain, where sugar was expensive and sweet fruit was held in high esteem. It became a status symbol of royal privilege. King Charles II of England even posed for a portrait receiving one. In colonial America, hostesses would rent a pineapple for a table display as a symbol of hospitality and wealth. Once rented, the pineapple would later be sold for eating.
Fortunately for us, Melissa’s keeps our stores in great supply so we can eat it whenever we want. I do think it would be kind of cool to invite friends over and have a bowl of tropical fruit on the table topped with a pineapple as a way to impress your guests and provide for an interesting dinner conversation.
I love it fresh and grilled but there are many recipes to choose from if you want to get a little more creative. If you like salsa, Pineapple Salsa can provide a tasty dip or topping for any occasion. Dennis Linden has a wonderful recipe for Roasted Papaya & Pineapple that the entire family can create together.
Hopefully, this will do what the Melissa’s display did for me, which is to get out of my routine and try more of the organic fruits and vegetables that I love but rarely buy.
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