The pineapple is actually 100-200 fruitlets all fused together.
The plant is native to South America, to be more precise, somewhere
between Southern Brazil and Paraguay. Its cultivation spread throughout
South America, eventually reaching the Caribbean, Central American and
Mexico. Columbus, who is responsible for introducing many crops to the
Americas, was excited to take the pineapple back to Europe as a symbol
of the many things the New World had to offer. Its introduction to the
Philippines and Hawaii was accredited to the Spanish. In colonial
America the pineapple became a symbol of welcome and friendship. This
fruit can still be found on door knockers, door mats, and mail boxes.
Although Asia is now the largest pineapple producer, most of the
pineapple found in California comes from either Hawaii or Costa Rica but
some can also arrive from Florida. This product's peak season runs from
March through July, but it's still available year-round. Pineapples are
extraordinary versatile from beverages to desserts, it can easily be
used in both sweet and savory dishes; so grab a Pina colada and decide a
kind to use in your next recipe:
- Sugarloaf Pineapple
- Red Spanish Pineapple
- Queen Pineapple
- Smooth Cayenne Pineapple