Ways With Pineapples
p. 74 · Read in the full issue
rE following is Fiji’s good deed
for the other housewives of the South Pacific. The Nu trition Section of the South Pacific Health Service has recently been telling Fiji how to use some of the local foods. The first series of the talks concerned pineapples, which grow in virtually all of the Pacific islands, and here are a few of the things you may not know about this luscious fruit: THE pineapple is a native plant of South America. The early Spanish explorers are thought to have taken it to Europe and to the Pacific. It was first mentioned in Hawaii early in the 19th century. Now canned pineapple industries have become established in Hawaii, Queensland and Fiji.
New pineapples can be grown by plant ing the green tops of the fruit or the suckers which rise round the base of the plant. Suckers take about a year to bear fruit. Tops from six months to 12 months longer.
The suckers from the parent pine apple bed are prepared by smoothing off the broken end, drying for a day or two by leaving them in the sun and then planting out. The tops may be prepared in the same way. The plants should be kept free of weeds, though the ground round them should not be dug or hoed too deeply in case the shallow roots are damaged.
The finest qualities are developed when the fruit is allowed to ripen naturally on the plant. The pineapple does not in crease in sweetness after it is picked be cause the sugar in the fruit has come from the leaves.
The best quality pineapple has a small compact crown of leaves and it is advis able to avoid fruits which have large crowns.
Try slicing the pineapple lengthwise into wedges for a change from slicing across.
Each serving then has some of the sweetest and most desirable portions of the fruit. The core may be removed from each slice.
Save the pineapple skins. Wash, and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 20 minutes, strain and add 1 cup of sugar to each 3 cups of juice.
Return the juice and sugar to the pan and boil for 5 minutes. It can then be used as fruit juice and for fruit salads or for pouring over cold or hot sweets.
Spiced Pineapple Upside-Down-Cake
*>i cup butter or margarine. l-2/3rds cup of brown sugar. 3 cups pineapple pieces. 2 cups sifted flour. 2 teaspoons baking powder. 1 teaspoon cinnamon. 1 teaspoon nutmeg. 2 eggs—beaten, Vi cup milk.
Melt t/ 4 cup of butter or margarine in cake tin. Add 2/3rds cup brown sugar, disso,ved Arrange the l„ l„e s “|, SyrU!> ‘* ‘° Tm * desl '"- !■•«« Sift together the dry ingredients. Beat a™ r ®j” alni "£ brown sngrar with the eggs.
Add the milk and the remaining butter or margarine melted. Gradually stir in 5»" r and Beat Sfn Pour over the fruit in the cake tin Bake In moderate oven (350 deg.) f o ?‘ 40-50 Ste? tCS ’ ? Uni ° nt ° a plate - The fruit with whf b * comes "PPermost. Serve hot* with whipped cream if desired. This nud cakl 18 Cqna,ly dellclons served cold as a