Pineapples should have rough, warm, golden skins with firm, grey- green plumes. When the fruit is ripe, the leaves should pull out easily and the fruit will emit a distinctive smell.
Use: Pineapples marry well with spirits or liqueurs such as Kirsch. Chunks can be added to fish and pork dishes towards the end of cooking time, but you should not reheat these dishes because pineapples can cause other food to ferment. This fruit combines well with vanilla, ginger, coconut and black pepper and can be used in ices, mousses and custards. Don’t use them in dishes requiring gelatine, because the mixture will never set. Like pawpaws, pineapples or their juice can be used to tenderise meat because they leave very little flavour behind.