Pineapple

When you think of the word pineapple, what comes to mind? Are you someone who associates the pineapple as a symbol of hospitality? Do you have a mental image of pineapple trees swaying in the sunlight, or can you feel a gentle breeze blowing across your face. Possibly you can close your eyes and experience your taste buds exploding with the thought of the juicy, sweet pineapple in your mouth? Pineapple was first introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus when he brought the fruit back from his visit to the Caribbean ("All About Pineapple"). Pineapples have multiple uses, for it does not only serve as a delicious fruit but it is also a tropical plant. The name pineapple first originated from the Spanish word, pina. In 1398, the word pineapple was first documented but originally it was used to explain the reproductive organs of a conifer trees. When this tropical fruit and plant were first noticed by European explores they called them “pineapples” because the shape of them resembled pine cones. Approximately thirty years after the tropical fruit was discovered the term for “pine cone” was recorded to replace the original meaning of “pineapple.”
Pineapple is such an interesting fruit because it can be utilized in many different recipes. It can be used as a fruit, dessert, salsa, or possibly a sauce - the possibilities are endless. When I first found out that I was going to research a food, the pineapple was the first food that came into my mind. This fruit is one of my favorite foods because whenever I bit into this fruit; I have many memories that come to mind while eating pineapples. I think of previous vacations I have been on while growing up with my family. I have been very fortunate as a child to have traveled to the Hawaiian Islands with my family on several occasions and I have always experienced eating a fresh pineapple right from the pineapple tree in Hawaii. I was picky eater as a child, but I always loved the fresh pineapples.
Pineapples remind me of the time playing in the ocean and on the beach with my family, going to lulus, and spending time as a family together. Whenever I see a pineapple at farmers markets or in the grocery stores I am instantly reminded of a relaxing time spent with my family. After doing some research on pineapples, I have discovered out that not only is pineapple fun to look at, but it is also good for your body. While your body consumes the pineapple juices and pulp it is able to break down your protein more efficiently ("Fun Facts About Pineapple"). I have always thought that there was only one type of pineapple but I have researched and realized that there are four types of pineapples. They are as follows:
1. Cayenne Pineapple
The Cayenne has a solid, rubbery skin that is blonde-yellow in color. This is a big pineapple that is very succulent with a tart, but very sweet flavor.
2. Pernambuco Pineapple
A light yellow fleshed pineapple that is average sized. Its skin is sweet and delicate.
3. Queen Pineapple
It is smaller in dimension and not as moist or sweet as the Cayenne.
4. Red Spanish Pineapple
This pineapple is acidic and has a powerful smell ("Pineapple").
Pineapples are an fascinating fruit because it can be used in so many ways – food, rope, clothing, and decorations. Pineapples remind me of happy times with my family, and that brings a smile to my face. Pineapples are a food that will always remain close to my heart.
Recipe of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Topping:*
1 cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 can (20 oz) of pineapple slices
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6 Tbsp cake flour
6 Tbsp of ground almonds (from about 2 oz of whole almonds)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1. Start by making the caramel topping.* Take brown sugar and butter and combine and melt in a saucepan on medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly, this should take several minutes. Pour mixture into a 10 inch diameter stick-free cake pan with 2 inch high sides. Arrange pineapple slices in a single layer on top of the caramel mixture.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk the flours, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and butter together until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream in 2 additions each, beating well after each addition. Pour cake batter over caramel and pineapple in pan.
3. Bake cake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature (“Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe”).





Works Cited
"All About Pineapple." Hormel Foods. 10 Sept. 2007 .
"Fun Facts About Pineapple." Dole Food Company. Dole Food Company’s Nutrition &Health Program. 12 Sept. 2007 .
"Pineapple." Wikipedia. 12 Sept. 2007. 12 Sept. 2007 .
"Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe." Simply Recipes. 12 Sept. 2007
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Food Not Bombs

On September 13, 2007 my class was fortunate to have David Giles come to my class to talk about his involvement with Food Not Bombs. He is a student in anthropology that has received his Ph.D and is a local food activist. David was nice enough to go dumpster diving for orange juice to show the class how much food society wastes. I have never thought about companies throwing out food before David came to my class and explained all of the rules and regulations that stores have to follow because of due dates. It makes sense that a store would have to throw out products because of its due dates but these companies are throwing out foods before the date that it goes bad. These foods that are found in these dumpsters are still healthy and safe to eat.

David gave me a lot of inspiration because by him just dumpster diving he is saving his own money and he is not wasting food. Today in third world countries people are dying because they do not have enough food and in America we are just throwing it away. David has made me want to become more active as a food activist and he showed me that if you do not stand up for what you believe in then nothing will show for it. I think that Food Not Bombs is a great organization and I only hope that it gets bigger and more nationally recognized so we can save food and money.

Labels

By reading the article "Where did that food come from? Your guess is as good as the Label" by Andrew Schneider, it taught me that citizens of the world can buy into the gullible market of believing industries that tell their customers where their product is made just to improve their market profit. This article opened up my eyes because beforehand I never carried or worried about where my food came from but this article made me want to pay attention to the labels.
Consumers in today’s society believe the companies by not even second-guessing the facts on the labels because the consumer believes that the company would not lie about their product but unfortunately they do because they want to make more money. In the end it is all about the money for these companies and so they think that by changing the truth a little bit they are able to make money. This article was very informative and I encourage one to read it if they have time for themselves. This article taught me to look at the labels more often and to question and challenge the label’s facts.

Shrimp Farming

Today in class we had a guest speaker, Yu Huang, who is getting her Ph.D. in Anthropology. Yu was born in China and is now doing research on peasant entereimpries in farming shrimp in Southeast China. I had never heard of shrimp farming or of anything thing of that nature before this class period and I was fascinated by the politics that are involved in the process. Shrimp farming is a large industry and it is very completive in every sense and way- who can grow the most shrimp, which can sell the most shrimp, and even gambling can be involved to make the stakes higher. I have never thought of shrimp farming or even heard of it before she came to our class but by her coming to our class I was able to learn something new.

Memories

In the afternoon on Friday, September 6, 2007, my class of Anthropology of Food was invited to make pizzas for the first burning of the cobb oven at the UW Farm. Not only was I overjoyed with the fact that I was able to make a fresh pizza with fresh vegetables but I was able to think about memories that I have shared with my family. I come from a big Italian family which means that we like pasta, we are loud, and we have a good time. My family is very close both physically and emotionally. We know about everything in everyone’s lives and we all live in a five-block radius from each other in Sacramento. My family is proud of our heritage and we embrace the fact that we are Italian.

My Grandpa would always tell stories to his grandchildren about how his father would make the freshest and best pizzas in Italy when he was a younger boy. Making fresh pizza yesterday in a way made me feel closer to my Great Grandfather. I know that I have never met my Great Grandfather but when I was making my pizza on the Farm, I felt that there was a greater force with me. I am proud that I am Italian and I am confident that my Great Grandfather would have been proud of my pizza that I made yesterday. Being at the first cobb firing I felt that I was taking apart of history at the UW. It was a lot of fun to be cooking with friends by my side and to be able to create a pizza and to see the finish product. I am so honored that I was able to be apart of this activity and I hope that there will be many more cobb firings to come!

Cooking with Others

Yesterday on Friday, September 6, 2007, my class and I ventured to the Husky Union Building to prepare lentil soup. We created the soup with fresh ingredients such as onions, carrots, lentil beans, and other fresh vegetables. While chopping and cooking the ingredients for this soup, it reminded me of a time when I use to make soup with my Grandma. The type of soup that my Grandma and I would make would be chicken noodle soup staring from scratch.


My Grandma would tell me stories from her childhood and I would update her on my life. During this time that we shared, we become closer emotional and we able to understand each other better. The aroma that the class cooked in the HUB was created because we put time, tender, and love into our soup just like my Grandma and I would do. I think that cooking with others is one of the best ways to understand the ones around you better. Creating lentil soup in the HUB with the class helped remind me of the fond memories with my Grandma that no one can take away from me. Making lentil soup was a fun and exciting activity to do in class because I was able to bond with my classmates better and I was able to learn how to cook something new. Cooking is always a win win situation for me because you make food that you can eat and you get to make memories with the ones around you.

Caring for my Body

On Monday, September 4, 2007, I was granted the opportunity to watch the movie "Super Size Me" that was directed and written by Morgan Spurlock. The plot of this movie was for Morgan to eat McDonald’s for thirty days straight for all three square meals of the day – if it did not come from McDonald’s then he would not eat it. The idea of this experiment started when two teenage girls sued a fast food chain because of their obesity. The court dismissed their case saying that fast food restaurants are not bad in entirely for your body and the court could not prove that fast food was addictive like tobacco products. Morgan would put his health, well- being, and his mind at risk just to prove the point that fast food is bad for your body.

This movie enabled me to open up my eyes and to be able to see how bad fast food is for my body. I do have to admit that I love McDonald’s and Burger King but after watching this movie and seeing how much it affects my body negatively, I know that I will not eat nearly as much fast food as I do now. By seeing this movie it reminded me that I need to take care of my body because if I just treat it in a negative manner then I will result in a harmful lifestyle – I will not feel or look good. This movie was needed to be made to show this fast past society that we need to slow down and think about the consequences before we just grab and go. I was very lucky to watch this movie with my class on Monday because it has inspired me to eat healthier because I want to live a fit and long life.