Spotting pineapples on Oahu, day 2

The Hawaiian word for pineapple = hala kahiki

Today’s highlight was meeting the beautiful Brie, a real Pineapple Princess who grew up on the Hawaiian island of Lana’i.

Brie said “We were plantation kids, everyone worked for Dole. It was like a family. My grandmother worked at the cannery. My Dad was a “luna”, supervisor and driver of the “boom” followed by the gang who would pick the pineapples, twist off the crowns, throw them over their shoulders and the pineapples onto a conveyor belt. The crowns were planted again, up to 4 times. The gangs worked hard and fast, it was competitive. A barge would come to Lana’i twice a week and take pineapples to Oahu. Mum worked in the research department where they developed new types of pineapples, watermelon pineapple and grape pineapple!

At 5am a whistle woke up the whole town because everyone had the same work schedule. At 8pm another whistle said “Time to get to bed, time to sleep.” It was very much a community, Hawaiians, Filipino, Japanese. Music was important, celebrities like Brother Iz, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, would visit the island.

A pineapple was our school emblem!”

Brie shared a special recipe of Baked Pineapple and Spam (with brown sugar and mustard) with me that I will post on the blog when I’m home and cooking again!

Brie took us on a wonderful drive around Oahu, stopping of course at the Dole Plantation where we sampled the most delicious ice cream and toured around on the Pineapple Express. The train driver tried to talk me into giving her my ice cream! No way!

And there was of course, more pineapple merchandise. Well family, you can all start wondering about your Christmas presents – will it be the pineapple scented hand sanitiser or a giant plush ukulele playing pineapple!

Thanks of sharing your stories with us Brie, the whole day was a lot of fun! Aunty Anne

Pineapples, Passion Fruit and Poi: Recipes from Hawaii by Mary Lou Gebhard & William H. Butler, Illustrations by Hide Doki, 1967

Haleakala Specter    

“Atop Haleakala one may see himself reflected in the rainbow there … Even sober persons can see their reflections there. Let us know what you see after a couple of these” the authors.

50ml rum; 25ml pineapple juice; 12ml lemon juice; ½ tsp brown sugar

Shake without ice. Pour into glass filled with crushed ice. Decorate with slice of orange. Serve in highball glass.