Back from hiatus with: pineapple roasted with orange juice and honey

Buon capo d'anno, ragazzi! Annalena has returned. She never really left (sort of like many ailments), as she checked for comments (NONE. Hmmmm. Are you reading???), or for requests for her return (NONE. Hmmmmm). The month of absence was, to be honest, the result of what she calls the combination marathon and sprint that is the end of the year for us. Let us face it: would it not be easier if we could split the triad of Thanksgiving , Christmas, New Year and have one of the holidays at a different point in the year, when we really need it? Just as we take a breath from Thanksgiving, the Christmas rush is upon us. All of you know, you were breathing hard for at least part of that six week period. None moreso, than those of us who cook, and those of us who play musical instruments. It is to the latter that Annalena bows her head. There is so little room for error in performance, that it makes cooking look easy. Yet, talk to musicians, and they will bow their heads to cooks. We understand each other. So, ragazzi, with the crush of holiday baking, the Thanksgiving dinner, the Christmas dinner, and the fabulous mess that is the New Year's day party of Annalena and the Guyman, plus work, workouts with the Paraguayan punisher, and so much else, Annalena was absent. At least from writing. But just like Evita, "I never wanted to."

In that time, however, Annalena was thinking of all of you. As recipes were made or tried out, she would think "is this for the gang?" Sometimes the answer was a resounding ABSOLUTELY NOT. Other times, it was "iffy," and then there were others that called out with certainty as things we should be making. And we will have three of those in succession, and as is the case with Annalena's groupings, we shall move from the simplest, to the most complex; however, none will be very complex.

This first one is a sweet, but as far as sweets go, it is a "good" sweet, involving no fat. That is right, dear reader, no fat. And a fruit which , in Annalena's experience, terrifies people, for reasons she cannot fathom. That is the pineapple. Let us see a show of hands: when is the last time any of you bought a pineapple?

Now, if you bought the pineapple to make pina coladas, please lower your hand.

Just as I thought. Well, you should change that. Many of you, I suspect, do not buy them because you are in the camp of "I don't know how to pick a good one." Well, modern science and modern marketing have eliminated what was, honestly, a real problem for years.

When Annalena was younger, there were all kinds of tricks for buying a ripe, sweet pineapple: pull a leaf out of the crown. Smell the bottom (no jokes, please). Squeeze it. Smell the top. And heaven knows, none worked consistently.

Some time ago, there was a breakthrough in pineapple genetics (Annalena kids you not. She follows these things), and there is now a pineapple on the market, called the "golden sweet." There has been litigation over it: Annalena kids you not. Google the words pineapple, and antitrust, and you will read of the long standing fight between Dole and Del Monte about this. In any event, the golden sweet pineapple is unfailingly reliable. If you see the name on the label, you can be certain it will be good. DO make sure that it is not buggy, or overripe (is there juice coming out of it). Buy one (they cost between 3 and 4 dollars each), and you will have a treat.

And Annalena will not countenance the "it's too difficult to prepare" excuse. This is how you clean a pineapple: turn it on its side, and make a vertical cut to take the leaves and a small amount of the fruit off. Now, turn it standing up, and with a large knife, cut down the plant, in segments, to remove the skin. If you have small amounts of skin left from the eyes, cut them out as well, but with practice, you will take enough off so that there is no issue.

You will have a naked pineapple, with an inedible core (at least most think it inedible. Annalena enjoys chewing on the fiber, but then again, she also chews on the strings from a tied roast). For this recipe, you have very easy ways to get rid of it, as you will now find out.

Clean not one, but two pineapples, as you were just directed. Put them aside ,while you squeeze enough oranges, or blood oranges, or tangerines, or any sweet citrus, to get a cup of juice. Annalena's original recipe called for regular oranges. She had plenty of blood oranges from the Citrus Bomb and the Citrus Stud, so she used those. Mix those with half a cup of honey.

Digression coming: some day, go to your market, talk to a honey purveyor, and ask to taste the different types. You will be astounded. Even if you HAVE a life. Use one that you like. Stir that honey into the citrus juice.

Now, remember those two pineapples? Well, standing them vertically, cut them into quarters. Observe them. The core is very apparent. Take a small knife, and cut it away, from each piece. Then, trisect the cleaned pineapple into long slices, and put it in with the juice mixture. Stir it all together and leave it out to marinate for 30 minutes. Turning it every now and then if you think about it.

That wasn't much work, was it? Plenty of words, but no effort. Are you welcoming me back yet?

Now, turn your oven to 450, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. You do need to do this, to keep the pineapple from burning too badly.

After the half hour, pull the fruit out of the juices, and spread them out over the two baking sheets. Don't let the slices overlap. Put them in the oven for ten minutes, but after five, reverse the sheets and turn them as well.

Meanwhile, if you are so inclined, pour the juices into a small pot, and raise the heat to high, reducing the juice to as thick a syrup as you like. After the pineapple has roasted for ten minutes, put it back in the bowl, pour the juices over it (or not) and serve it forth. And if you're not ready, it will hold, unrefrigerated, for a whole day. Refrigerate it afterwards.

In many parts of the world, as well as in colonial America, the pineapple was , and is, the symbol of hosptiality. That is why you will see the symbol over many threshholds, and on gates. Annalena is also told that, in Hawaii there is a legend that the spirit of grandmothers departed enters pinapples. Perhaps. That would explain how easy, and how good, this dessert is.

Welcome to 2012 everyone. Have a wonderful year. Get in contact with Annalena. And make this dessert