Pineapple + Great Barrier Reef = Queensland

 By guest Eco Reporter, Jane:

This story of our beautiful and unique Great Barrier Reef was initially inspired by Ruby Borrowdale’s Coral Reef Pie recipe in the ‘Golden Circle Tropical Pineapple Recipe Book’. The Coral Reef Pie symbolises the largest coral reef system in the world!

Australians created the Great Barrier Marine Park, GBR Marine Protection Authority to protect it. BUT, a recent IPPC report says it could be functionally extinct by 2030.

What threatens our reef???

I. The greatest damage to the Reef is being caused by climate change, through coral bleaching and ocean acidification.

2. Sediment, nutrient and pesticide pollution from catchment runoff kills off reef life.

3. Sediments provide increased food for the formidable coral destroyer, the Crown of Thorns Starfish.

4. Overfishing.          

5. Industrialisation: the dredging and dumping of millions of tonnes of seabed and rock on the reef; increased shipping between the narrow straights of the coral; a greater number of ports, including the development of the largest coal port in the world at Abbott Point.

6. 4 Bombs: in 2013 the US & Australia, during military exercises, dropped 4 bombs on the reef, because the place they usually dropped them was not available.

7. Unchecked Polluters: since 2009 Queensland Nickel, owned by Clive Palmer, released hundreds of tonnes of toxic waste water on to the reef. Under threat of a $6.4 billion compensation claim by Qld Nickel, the GBRMPA did nothing but advise the company to devise a waste management plan.

If you are interested in finding out how to help protect this important ecosystem check out these websites:

http://fightforthereef.org.au/

https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/great-barrier-reef/save-the-reef

http://www.savethereef.org.au/

http://qldconservation.org.au/current-practices-failing-to-save-the-reef/

And if you'd like to recreate some of Jane and Anne’s  “delicious” props in these photos the Coral Reef Pie featured on the Pineapple Princesses blog on 2 October 2012.

Coral Reef Pie.

Pie filling: 440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, 2 tblspns cornflour, 2 egg yolks, 1 tblspn butter, 1 baked 20cm pastry shell.

Heat pineapple and syrup in saucepan. Blend cornflour in ¼ cup cold water, stir into hot pineapple mixture and bring to boil. Remove from stove, stir in beaten egg yolks and butter. Turn into pastry shell, top with pink coral macaroon, bake in slow oven 180°C about 30 minutes or until topping is firm.

Coral Macaroon Topping: 2 egg whites, ½ cup castor sugar, 1 cup desiccated coconut, pinch salt, pink food colouring. Beat egg whites with salt until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar, beating until meringue is firm. Add few drops pink food colouring, then the coconut. Flavour to taste.

There was also jelly, honey, chocolate, meringue, berries, cream and, the Pineapple Cream Tarts appeared in ‘Good Housekeeping’s Picture Cake Making’, Australia in the 1950s.

Pineapple Cream Tarts

Shortcrust pastry; 3 tblsp cream; 1 tblsp chopped pineapple; 2 tsp chopped glacé cherries; glacé icing made with icing sugar and pineapple juice; yellow colouring

Line some patty tins with the thinly rolled pastry and bake blind. Whip the cream, stir in the well drained pineapple and glacé cherries, and put a little of the mixture into the cold, cooked pastry cases, smoothing the service evenly. Mix a little sieved icing sugar with the pineapple juice and a drop of yellow colouring, and spread this icing carefully over filling, covering it completely.

The ideal treat for your Earth Hour get together on 29th March! Anne.