In the 17th century Europe, the exotic pineapple became much sought after. Everyone wanted to taste it including King Louis XIV of France.
When he was finally presented with the fruit, without much preamble, he bit into it. Poor greedy King Louis XIV hurt his mouth.
It was unfortunate that his servants had not had a chance to peel the pineapple and remove the prickly hard skin.
The king might have really suffered as he forbade cultivation of pineapple in France while he was on the throne.
Pineapple by Bless Mercado
How to prepare pineapple by Bless Mercado
Points to remember: Peeling the Pineapple
Rest the pineapple on its base and using a fruit knife, slice the peel in a downwards sawing motion to remove it, working your way around the whole fruit.
Remove any ‘eyes’ by cutting small ‘v’ shaped grooves diagonally down either side of the eyes, again, working all the way around the fruit.
Cut into thin rounds, or cut lengthways into quarters, remove the woody core and then cut into chunks
This smoothie is fresh and clean tasting, really hydrating. Choose a really ripe pineapple and watermelon for the sweetness. To choose a ripe pineapple, give it a snip. It should be sweetly smelling. 😉
Be sure to include the watermelon seeds when juicing as they contain essential fatty acids and proteins.
How to make:
400g watermelons
400g pineapple
How to Make:
Remove the hard skin on both the watermelons and pineapples.
Cut into chunks.
Put them through the juicer.
Transfer into tall glasses and savour every bit at your own phase.
*** Sparkling water can be added to dilute this smoothie into a juice, if prefered.
Pineapple grows abundantly in the Philippines and as popular as the banana.
This is a Filipino legend about the pineapple based on a book of legends by F. Landa Jocano.
Anyway our legend goes…..
Once upon a time, in the town of Arevalo in Iloilo province, there lived a widow named Kerok. She had a beautiful daughter whom she spoiled to no end. The daughter was called Pinay. Whatever Pinay wanted, she got. Thus, Pinay grew up into a very lazy, spoiled girl.
One day Kerok got sick. She asked her daughter to do the cooking for once. Young Pinay with much displeasure washed a handful of rice and placed it into a pot to cook. She then run off to play. When Pinay returned, she found that the rice had burnt. Kerok was annoyed and yet she comforted herself by the thought that at least Pinay did do what she was told.
Kerok continued to be bedridden which forced the resentful Pinay to do the housework. She would ask her mother for the minutest, most inconsequential things. Poor Kerok could not get a moment’s peace or a proper rest.
One evening, whilst cooking in the kitchen, Pinay noticed that the ladle was missing. Pinay did try to look for the ladle everywhere but she could not find it so she went to her mother to demand the whereabout of the ladle.
Kerok was at the end of her tether with Pinay. She cried out: “I wish you had many eyes so that you could find at once what you are looking for.” Pinay, rather shameful, did not answer and just went downstairs to look for the ladle once more.
Night fell. Kerok waited and waited for Pinay but she did not come up. She was not in the kitchen either. Kerok called out but no one answered.
After a few more days Kerok got better. Still thinking that Pinay was probably sulking somewhere and would not come home, Kerok went to her neighbours to ask them if they had seen Pinay. No one had seen Pinay. Kerok was inconsolable with grief.
One day while sweeping the yard, Kerok saw an unusual plant growing near a wall. The leaves were slender and pointed. She watered the plant everyday for something to do to alleviate her sorrow and worry about the missing Pinay. After a few days, the plant started to bear a fruit with many holes resembling eyes.
She remembered Pinay and realised that the plant must be her daughter. She cried and cried until she heard the plant talking. “I am Pinay, your daughter, who the gods transformed into a plant when you wished it. You may weep and weep, but I can never again return to you. Take the fruit however and eat it. This way you will remember me.”
Ever since, the plant was called Pinya in honour of Pinay – the girl who was turned into a plant that bears fruit with many eyes.
