Kona Sugarloaf Pineapple

About

The Kona Sugarloaf is a large, sweet pineapple, often weighing five or six pounds. This white-fleshed fruit is very juicy and has a high sugar content and low acidity. The center is less woody than other pineapple varieties and because of this, can be eaten. As with most pineapples, it is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C.

Information

Other names: White Sugarloaf, Pão de Açúcar, white pineapple

Translations: Kon Sugarloaf Ananasų, Kona Sugarloaf Ananas, Kona Sugarloaf Dứa, Ananas Sugarloaf Kona, Kona Sugarloaf अनानस, Kona Abacaxi Pão de Açúcar, Кона Шураглоф Ананас, Kona Ανανάς Sugarloaf, كونا Sugarloaf الأناناس, 코나의 Sugarloaf의 파인애플, Kona Sugarloaf ananas, Kona Sugarloaf Nanas, Kona Sugarloaf pinya, 科纳舒格洛夫菠萝, Kona Pinya Pa de Sucre, Kona Sugarloaf ananás, Kona Sugarloaf Ananas, Kona אננס הסוכר, Кона Глава Ананас, コナシュガーローフパイナップル, Ananas Sugarloaf Kona, Kona Piña Pan de Azúcar, Кона Шураглоф Ананас, Kona Sugarloaf Ananas, Кона Sugarloaf Ананас

Physical Description

Kona Sugarloaf are more cylindrical and larger than most other pineapples, but aside from their shape, cannot be discerned from other pineapple varieties. 5-6 lbs, white flesh with no woodiness in the center.It has a high sugar content but no acid. Growth Habit: The pineapple plant is a herbaceous perennial, 2-1/2 to 5 ft. high with a spread of 3 to 4 ft. It is essentially a short, stout stem with a rosette of waxy, straplike leaves. Foliage: The long-pointed leaves are 20 - 72 in. in length, usually needle tipped and generally bearing sharp, upcurved spines on the margins. Fruit: The oval to cylindrical-shaped, compound fruit develops from many small fruits fused together. It is both juicy and fleshy with the stem serving as the fibrous core. The tough, waxy rind may be dark green, yellow, orange-yellow or reddish when the fruit is ripe. The flesh ranges from nearly white to yellow. In size the fruits are up to 12 in. long and weigh 1 to 10 pounds or more.

Colors: White, gold, brown, golden-brown

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sweet, citrusy, tangy

Mouthfeel: Juicy, Chewy, Pulpy

Food complements: Cake, Salads, Cottage cheese, Chicken, Coconut

Wine complements: Dry white wine, Riesling

Beverage complements: Rum

Substitutes: Other varieties of pinapple, Papaya

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Peak: march, april, may, june, july

Choosing: The leaves at the top of the pineapple should be crisp and dark green without brown or yellow spots. The skin of the pineapple should be firm, giving slightly when pressed. Avoid pineapples with soft or dark spots on the skin, as these are signs of over-ripening.

Buying: The Kona Sugarloaf variety of pineapple is more sensitive than others and does not travel well, so it is difficult to find outside its growing area. It grows primarily in Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Florida and Hawaii in the United States.

Procuring: The Kona Sugarloaf pineapple, like all pineapples, grows as part of a tropical plant with narrow green leaves that grow nearly four feet in length. The pineapple makes up the center portion of this plant. When ripe, it can be harvested either manually or mechanically, although this variety is often harvested manually due to the fact that the leaves and crown come out much more easily than they do in other pineapple varieties.

The pineapples is a tropical or near-tropical plant, but will usually tolerate brief exposures to 28Â° F. Pineapples are drought-tolerant and will produce fruit under yearly precipitation rates ranging from 25 - 150 in., depending on cultivator and location and degree of atmospheric humidity. They are successfully grown in southern Florida and coastal areas of southern California. The small plant adapts well to container and greenhouse culture and makes an interesting potted houseplant.

Preparation and Use

Either twist off or cut the leaves of the pineapple from the fruit itself. Using a very sharp knife, cut the top of the pineapple off, about one inch from the top. Cut off the bottom of the pineapple the same way. Place the pineapple bottom side down and cut off the skin vertically, taking care not to cut too much of the fruit away. Remove any remaining spikes with the knife or a vegetable peeler. The pineapple can now be cut horizontally into rings, or can be quartered and cut into chunks.

Cleaning: No cleaning is necessary.

Conserving and Storing

Uncut pineapple can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. Once cut, pineapple should be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Social/Political

At one time, 70% of the global pineapple crop came from Hawaii. Since labor costs are cheaper in the Philippines, however, most pineapple is grown there.

History: Pineapple is thought to have been first grown in Brazil and Paraguay and taken to Central America by the native population. The fruit was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his voyages and was taken back to Europe, where it became in high-demand. Many sailors at that time discovered that pineapples were an excellent food to prevent scurvy (a vitamin C deficiency), so the fruit could be found on most ships in the 17th and 18th centuries. As a result, the fruit spread to the Philippines, Malaysia, Guam and Hawaii. The native Caribbeans placed pineapples at the entrance to their houses to represent hospitality and friendship, and this custom was adopted by many Europeans, thus leading the pineapple to be a nearly global symbol of welcome.