Friday, May 31, 2019
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield library adult librarian Stuart Gibbs explained how to pick a ripe pineapple during Pineapple Cake Day on April 24.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Stuart Gibbs, Canfield library adult librarian, demonstrated how to properly cut a pineapple during Pineapple Cake Day on April 24.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield library celebrated Pineapple Cake Day with fresh pineapple and pineapple upside down cake on April 24.
By ABBY SLANKER
Canfield library hosted a celebration of Pineapple Cake Day on April 24.
Adult librarian Stuart Gibbs hosted the event, which included information on how pineapples are grown, processed and handled, how to grow your own pineapple, a pineapple cutting demonstration and a make-your-own origami pineapple. As a special treat, Gibbs brought a pineapple upside down cake for everyone to taste.
Gibbs opened the evening by showing a video clip on how pineapples are grown, processed and harvested.
“The harvest is done by hand. It takes 13-16 months to grow a pineapple. I would equate a pineapple plant to an aloe vera plant with all the leaves. Flowers actually grow, and each part of the fruit is a flower. There’s usually 100-200 flowers and they fuse together to create the fruit,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs informed attendees that pineapple is a healthy fruit.
“Pineapple is actually a very healthy fruit. It has vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, dietary fibers and provides 75 percent of daily magnesium, which can reduce the risk of eye disease. It also supports your immune system and is an anti-inflammatory,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs offered tips on how to pick a pineapple.
“You can tell a pineapple is ripe by its color. You want a mix of brown, green and yellow. You can also tell by sound. If you knock on it, you want to hear a hollow sound. And as for the leaves, you don’t want them to be brown and shriveling,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs then gave a demonstration on how to properly cut a pineapple. He also explained how to plant your own pineapple at home.
“You want to cut off the top of the fruit and keep cutting the top until you see brown dots. Pull off the green on the outside about half an inch up. This will be wet so you want to let it dry for two days. Then when you do plant it in a pot, you want to use sandy, light soil,” Gibbs said.
Next, Gibbs provided construction paper and instructions for everyone to make their own origami pineapple.
To end the evening on a sweet note, Gibbs sliced up some pineapple upside down cake for everyone to enjoy.