What's in a Name, Pineapple

Pine cones used to be called pineapples and pineapples got the name because they resembled pine cones.
Originally, the word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398, when it was used to describe the reproductive organs of conifer trees (now called pine cones).


When European explorers discovered the tropical fruit in the Americas, they called them pineapples, because they resembled pine cones (with the original name). Most European countries eventually adapted, and still use the name ananas, which came from the Tupi word nanas (also meaning pineapple).

Incidentally, The pineapple “fruit” is not really a fruit, but is a mass of individual berries fused to the central stalk. This is why the “fruit” has leaves on top. They are actually the continued growth of the stalk beyond where the berries are attached. Pineapples are not grown from seed.

Bitter, Sweet, and Salty

Salty and sweet are distinct tastes which our taste buds are usually able to detect. However, if you add salt to some foods, they do not taste salty, but become sweeter tasting. This is because salt is not just a taste, it is also a taste enhancer.

Bitter and sweet cancel each other out to some degree. Think of adding sugar to naturally bitter coffee and you get the idea. It cancels/masks the bitterness. Some people add a bit of salt to the grounds before making coffee, for the same reason.

Pineapples are sweet, but also have some bitterness to them. If you neutralize the bitterness, it should taste sweeter. Adding salt can do this. When salt mixes with the pineapple, the salt splits up into sodium and chloride ions. The chloride is tasteless and our tongues ignore it. The sodium bonds with the acids in the pineapple and forms a similarly tasteless salt, but the bitterness effectively disappears. What remains is the sweetness of the pineapple. Add a little bit of salt to your fresh pineapple and enjoy the enhanced sweetness. It also works with watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, dark chocolate and other foods that are both bitter and sweet. Perhaps this is one reason why it is said that bacon is the food that makes other foods taste better. My father always salted apples before eating and usually paired with extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Adding salt works less well with canned or other processed fruits as many are already artificially sweetened.

Top Ten Vitamin C Foods

Top ten foods that have more vitamin C than oranges. Guava with 376 mg of vitamin C for 1 cup. Next are red bell peppers followed by lychee, a small Asian fruit, followed by parsley, kiwi, broccoli, brussels sprouts, papaya, strawberries, and pineapple. Bringing up the rear are oranges.

Nine Things You Never Thought of Freezing

Here are a few things we usually do not think about freezing, but might be worth a try.

Fruits: Cut up and freeze season fruits such as peaches, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, grapes, or apples. Add a spritz of lemon juice to your frozen fruits to prevent browning.

Nuts: Bag up and freeze almonds, pine nuts, honey toasted pecans and others.

Berries: Freeze blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

Fresh Bread: Store specialty breads in the freezer. The cold temperature will preserve the crumb and texture while prolonging staleness. A quick oven re-bake will bring back the aroma, crispness, and moisture.

Semi-Soft Cheese: Freezing cheese slows down mold in super-melts like mozzarella, Colby, pepper jack or Gouda.

Whole Grains: Whole grains like flax, millet or oats can stay fresh by freezing them in insulated bags.

Herbs: Fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, dill, cilantro and chives can benefit from a deep-freeze treatment. To retain their vibrant color, let herbs air-dry before freezing.

Juices: Freshly squeezed citrus like lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. Store in ice-cube trays for future use.

Fresh Vegetables: Freeze asparagus, beets, broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots and greens.
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