Season: Although available year-round, pineapples from the Western Hemisphere are at their peak from March through June. Our pineapples are coming from Costa Rica
Flavor: Pineapple is one of those fruits that just reminds you of all things tropical. Really ripe pineapple is incredibly sweet and fruity, tasting something like a marriage of citrus and apple. There’s a tang to pineapple that may be relatively absent from the ripest fruit and bolder in less ripe pineapples. It’s like the tang of an orange, zesty and bright.
Storage: Many pineapple lovers prefer to keep it at room temperature until ready to carve, but there’s no harm in keeping it chilled, either. On the one hand, a pineapple on the kitchen counter will perfume the room; on the other hand, it will decompose much more quickly than if stored in the refrigerator.
Once peeled and trimmed, fresh pineapple must be stored in the refrigerator where it will keep for three to five days in an airtight container.
How to use: Raw pineapple isn’t just for brunch buffet fruit salad anymore; it loves to play with savory ingredients, including herbs, chiles, garlic, fish sauce and lime.
Cooked pineapple delivers a very different flavor profile. Its acidity mellows significantly, and the natural sugars really get a chance to shine.
Don’t throw out the skins: Underneath the scratchy surface, there’s enough pineapple-y goodness to make juice, vinegar or a fermented beer-like brew. In Mexico, that brew is called tepache.
Nutrition: One cup of raw pineapple offers more than the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C (105 percent). It’s also rich in manganese and Vitamin B1, all of which offer antioxidant protection and immune support. A good source of fiber and folate, pineapple is also a unique source of bromelain, a protein-digesting (and tenderizing) enzyme with potential anti-inflammatory benefits.