In terms of value for money it's hard to beat fresh pineapple. I bought this huge one for £1.55 in Tesco last week which would have easily served six, maybe eight. Given that it came from halfway round the world it's ironic that it was cheaper than buying in-season English strawberries. (A medium sized punnet had gone up to £2.50 in my local greengrocer.)
Why isn't pineapple more highly rated? You rarely find it in restaurants. Maybe it's the traditionally naff uses that people make of it. Cheese and pineapple sticks (though they are actually delicious made with decent cheddar and fresh pineapple). Ham and pineapple pizza (never been a fan . . . ). Pina colada? Pretty tacky made with pasteurised pineapple juice but, again, great with fresh pineapple.
What better finale can you think of for a spicy meal than some finely sliced fresh pineapple, served with a fresh lime and chilli-flavoured syrup or a drizzle of kirsch or white rum?
Maybe it's because it's fiddly to prepare but not THAT fiddly. All you have to do is cut it in thick slices, cut away the skin and the central core and cut it into chunks. No more difficult than a mango and everyone's crazy about mango.
I've been breakfasting on it all week and would have made this fabulous smoothie I found on an old Waitrose cookery card (from the days when I used to shop at Waitrose ;-) if I'd had more time. I love the way it's topped with just-melted vanilla ice cream.
Are you a pineapple fan?
One of my favourite things to do with a pineapple is pork and pineapple - utterly lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy brother regularly brings me fruit and veg which he buys at a street market in Liverpool town centre. Recently he bought three large punnets of strawberries for £2, all still nice and firm and tasty, and last week he bought 3 pineapples for £1. Yes, £1! He gave me one and we had lovely fresh pineapple for breakfast the next day. We got a few more servings out of it aswell.
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing that street markets can sell good quality fruit and veg at such cheap prices, I just wish I lived nearer to one.
Wow, that's a fantastic bargain, notsupermum! I'm envious! I don't have a proper old-fashioned street market near me either. (Used to when I lived near Watford . . . )
ReplyDeletePork and pineapple is a winner, you're right, ramtops. Pork and gammon and chicken and pineapple too. We're a bit sniffy about these sweet and savoury combinations these days but I love 'em.
On the theme of cheap pineapples - my Mum got me one in the Northampton market for 60p! They retail in Sainsburys in Oxford for £1.89... She's very lucky, she spends a fraction of what I do on fruit and veg.
ReplyDeleteThe further north you go the better tha bargains seem to be . . .
ReplyDeleteLike the theme of your blog btw, Verity!
Thanks - that reminded me that I had loads more pools to add!
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying your blog; my other plan for 2008 (apart from the outdoor pools) is to cook 2 new recipes a month, and some of them have come from Beyond Baked Beans green. I still must make that oaty bread and want to try the blueberry muffins in the Beyond Baked Beans blog a couple of weeks ago,
muffins are always good and the oaty bread was a revelation! Let me know how the Beyond Baked Beans Green recipes go. I've just put up a Facebook page for BBB btw which will have a lot more videos and pix than the main site. Become a fan and upload some of your recipes!
ReplyDeleteI finally made the Blueberry oat muffins last night - they were very nice - I sent some of them off with my boyfriend for a long drive to Germany, and ate the rest for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the hunt for a yoghurt topped flapjack recipe to use up some jam that is a bit too sharp for spreading on bread - I've spent ages looking in recipe books and on the internet, I don't suppose you know of one? Flapjack is pretty frugal, although it's more useful in the Autumn for using up things like cooking apples and blackberries.
You're probably better asking Sig than me, Verity. She's a top baker! Take a look at her blog Scandilicious.
ReplyDelete