Picking the Perfect Pineapple for Optimal Enjoyment

[DebPC]

♥ Be alert for two key elements of a ripe pineapple: freshness and deterioration. You are looking for a fresh pineapple, not a rotting one. The stem is the area of the pineapple that feeds sugar to the fruit. It is from here that the pineapple changes color.

♥ Look at the pineapple. It should reflect a golden yellow color. The minimum area for this should be on the eyes at the base of the fruit. Never purchase a pineapple that is fully green as it will not ripen well. The higher the color rises up the pineapple, the sweeter it will be.

♥ Smell the pineapple. If it smells sweet, then it's ready. If it has no scent, it's not ripe. If it smells fermented, it's overripe!

♥ Touch the pineapple gently. It should be firm to a gentle press and only yield slightly. If it's soft or spongy, don't buy it.

♥ Beware the myth! It is an urban myth that a pineapple is ripe when a leaf can be removed from the crown easily. It is proof of nothing in terms of ripeness.[1] If a leaf does come out easily, the pineapple is rotten (which should be evident already) and if you can pick the scales off a pineapple, that's a bad sign because it means that the interior has gone soft, and will be sour and unpleasant.

♥ Don't buy or eat a deteriorating pineapple. A deteriorating pineapple will be a reddish, bronze color or it may even be green. It will smell as if it is fermenting, like vinegar. It will also be mushy when pushed gently and it will likely have wrinkled skin. Other clear indications include mold, oozing sticky juices, cracks in the skin and leaves turning brown and dropping off. It's only good for the compost heap at this stage.

♥ If you've purchased a pineapple that isn't ripe enough yet, try these steps:

Stand the pineapple upside down on the kitchen counter.

Wait for it to develop a golden hue and a good smell. This method works by encouraging the sugar to flow toward the top of the pineapple

 

[Admin Greg]

instead of the bottom. Put the pineapple in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple. The ethylene gas released by the ripening fruit will speed up the ripening process of the pineapple. Place the pineapple in direct sunlight for a few hours. This can be an effective method of ripening if done carefully, as the pineapple may become overripe very quickly.

 

[Admin Greg]

, making it sweeter. Once the pineapple is ripe, store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. ♥ Enjoy your ripe pineapple in a variety of ways, such as in fruit salads, as a topping for pizza or burgers, grilled on skewers, or blended into smoothies. It's a versatile and delicious fruit that is worth the effort to choose a ripe one.