An archive with pineapples

                                           

These beautiful watercolours of pineapples are part of an archive of over 7,500 paintings, drawings, and wax models commissioned by the US Department of Agriculture between 1886 and 1942.

To read more about this valuable collection click here:

http://www.openculture.com/2019/06/the-us-government-commissioned-7500-watercolor-paintings.html?fbclid=IwAR1Sr9trrGUssmi21XYGw-lpkK8XtJamUMxZmFh7SB1fcg9TxNrWISxWvks

‘The word “pomology,” “the science and practice of growing fruit,” first appeared in 1818, and the degree to which people depended on fruit trees and fruit stores made it a distinctively popular science, as was so much agriculture at the time,’ Josh Jones.

These particular watercolours were painted by James Marion Shull in 1919 of pineapples (Ananas comosus) from Cuba and the USA

To view more watercolours from this archive click here:

https://usdawatercolors.nal.usda.gov/pom/home.xhtml

U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705

Cheers! Seven years of the Pineapple Princesses!

Ann and I launched this tribute blog to Ruby Borrowdale, the home economist behind the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book seven years ago today with a recipe for Sweet and Pungent Lamb. 

After cooking our way through the entire book we continued to find pineapple recipes from many different, mostly retro sources. It still provides challenges and amusement so I imagine the Pineapple Princesses may still be going strong with new additions to the approximately 700 recipes already collected in another seven years time, Anne.

   

The Singapore Sling was first created by a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore

Here, Greg the bartender, mixes up his own delectable version !

"Easy . . . equal parts . . .  I used nip/shot glass.    

One nip gin, one nip pineapple juice, a squeeze of lime and the remainder tonic water . . . pour over ice in shaker.... shake . . . and garnish with a wedge of lime."

Rodney the bartender, at the Penrith Panthers Club, preparing a delicious 'Stormy Monday'  of pineapple juice, a dash of Bitters, Malibu, Southern Comfort and a wedge of pineapple.

This delicious FRENCH MARTINI was imbibed at The Flying Duck Restaurant, Vacy NSW: 
a combo of pineapple juice, Vodka and Chambord

Cin cin!

One bowl Pineapple Bread

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2018/08/23/pineapple-bread-recipe/

“Eating this sweet and moist pineapple bread is like being on your own little tropical island…” Katie

One bowl Pineapple Bread

Ingredients: 2 cups spelt, white, or oat flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 3/4 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp salt; 1 1/2 cups overripe mashed banana; 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained; 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave; 3 tbsp coconut milk or milk of choice; 3 tbsp oil OR additional milk of choice; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; optional 1/4 tsp coconut extract; optional walnuts, shredded coconut

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line with parchment. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, adding shredded coconut and/or crushed nuts if desired. Add all remaining ingredients, stir to form a batter (do not overmix), and smooth into prepared pan.

Bake on the center rack 25 minutes, then do not open the oven door at all but turn off the heat and let sit in the closed oven 10 additional minutes. If it’s still undercooked at this time, simply turn the oven back on and continue baking—checking every 5 minutes–until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The taste and texture are much better the second day, so I highly recommend waiting if you can. Leftovers can be sliced and frozen for up to a month.

I made a few adaptations to this recipe as I was on a farm and unable to access all the ingredients and the bananas were calling out to be used! So, I used 1 cup gluten free plain flour and 1 cup gluten free self-raising flour, ½ tsp baking soda and no baking powder, instead of the maple syrup/honey I used ½ cup rice bran syrup, ½ cup milk and no oil. Sadly, I had no shredded coconut. Otherwise everything else is the same, and it tasted great, Anne

Hot Pineapple Layer Pudding

“Aerophos” Recipe Book, Melbourne 1950

Some useful words of advice!

“Under the headings Home Management: Planning a menu No.6 Colour is most important; always endeavor to obtain pleasant colour contrasts in the serving of food. This will not only please the eye but also actually help the digestion.”

“General notes on Fish: No. 1 fish must be fresh. Fish is fresh when the eyes are bright, flesh firm, gills red, scales do not come off easily and the fish has no unpleasant odor.”

“Salad Fruits: 2. Pineapple pairs well with cheese, cold lamb or poultry salads. Chill, serving in slices, sticks or cubes. May be sprinkled with chopped nuts or chopped mint.”

Basic Recipe for Hot Fruit Layer Pudding

6 oz (175g) self-raising flour; 2 oz (50g) butter;2 oz (50g) sugar; 2 eggs; 2/3 cup milk; about 1 ½ cups stewed drained fruit or shredded fruit such as pineapple

Sift flour. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in sifted flour alternately with the milk. Place half the mixture in a greased cake tin (this quantity is sufficient for a tin 8” (20cm) in diameter, 1 1/2 “ (3.8cm) deep). Cover with fruit pulp and top this with remaining batter.

Bake in a moderate oven (350⁰F/180⁰C) about 45 minutes. For four to six.

Variations of fruit layer pudding:

Pineapple and coconut pudding: Add 2oz (50g) coconut o the flour. Use shredded pineapple.

The book also suggests variations using stewed mulberries with 1 level tsp grated lemon rind added to the flour; and stewed drained rhubarb served with lemon sauce.

Simple pineapple party treats

A new twist on the retro favorite of pineapple, cheese and a pickled onion on a toothpick! 

Pineapple (chopped into chunks, sautéed with a tad of butter and brown sugar), a small basil leaf and a bocconcini on a skewer, totally yum! Anne

The idea came from here:

https://www.yummly.com/recipes?q=mini+bocconcini+with+pineapple&taste-pref-appended=true

And these little pre-made pavlovas adorned with cream, sliced pineapple, kiwi fruit and strawberries were very popular at a recent function in our local hall, Anne

Pineapple/Coconut Logs

Unforgettable: a coconut cookbook, including Fiji dishes, 2004 Three Loose Coconuts 

“He who plants a coconut tree plants food and drink, vessels and clothing, a habitation for himself and a heritage for his children” South Seas proverb

Coconut logs

1 ½ cups desiccated coconut; 2 ½ cups soya milk powder (I used skim milk powder); 2 cups various dried fruits (I included some dried pineapple in the mix); 6 tspn honey; 1 tsp vanilla essence

With these amounts I made 2 delicious logs about 20cm long and 5cm in diameter, Anne

Method:

1 Place mixed fruit in a blender and process.

2 In a separate bowl, mix desiccated coconut and soya milk powder.

3 Gradually add blended fruit mix and rub together.

4 Add honey. Mix well.

5 Roll into a lg, roll in (extra) desiccated coconut, refrigerate.

6 Once hardened, cut into slices.

Boozy Pineapple

The Boozy Chef, Recipes for Drinkers who love to Cook, Suzanne Dixon-Hudson c1980s Sydney

Pineapple and Vodka Surprise  

“A pleasant change from vodka and orange”

1 ripe pineapple; zest and juice 1 orange; 3 tblsp brown sugar; 2/3 cup vodka; 300ml cream; 4 tblsp chopped fresh mint

Plan of attack:

Preheat oven to 200⁰C (400⁰F)

Peel and chop pineapple into bite-sized chunks. Place in ovenproof dish and cover with orange juice and zest. Sprinkle with 2 tblsp brown sugar and drown with at least ½ cup vodka.

Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes whilst you prepare the mint cream.

Whip cream, add mint, 1 tblspn sugar and remaining vodka and serve with the hot pineapple.

Serves 6