Funny Holidays - Fresh Pineapple Day

Tropical fruits are a frequent guest of our table Fresh pineapple went from being an exquisite delicacy to a popular dessert just a couple of hundred years ago Its homeland is considered to be Brazil, from where the fruit, thanks to the Tupi Indians, spread to the rest of South and North America The Portuguese and Spaniards brought it from overseas colonies to Europe, giving it the name pineapple based on its appearance Today, pineapple is added to desserts and hot dishes, made into juices, and eaten fresh or canned Fruit pulp is used in the production of cosmetics and aromatic oils Thanks to the enzyme brommeanine, isolated from the fruits and stems, the plant is in demand in the manufacture of dietary supplements for weight loss Breeders have been working for centuries to improve the taste of pineapples Ideally, the fruit pulp should be tart, sweet and juicy at the same time In honor of their favorite delicacy, gourmets have come up with a funny holiday - February 16 is Fresh Pineapple Day This fruit appeared in the diet of Western Europeans thanks to Christopher Columbus The discoverer of America discovered the plant in Guadeloupe and, being amazed by the taste of the unknown fruits, decided to bring them to his homeland The tropical delicacy was liked by the Portuguese and Spanish nobility, and later it was appreciated by residents from other parts of the world So, today in China, not a single New Year's feast is complete without pineapple, according to the signs of bringing good luck and happiness The fruit brought from America was very expensive At the court of Charles II, it was customary for the nobility to appear in public with pineapples under their arms, thus demonstrating their wealth The king of England and Scotland wanted to possess this symbol of luxury and ordered the construction of greenhouses for the delicate tropical fruit near London in the 1670s On this occasion, he was depicted in the painting by artist Hendrik Dankaerts "Gardener John Rose shows Charles II the first pineapple grown in Europe" During the Renaissance, fermented pineapple wine was used by Europeans in religious rituals, and the fruit was hung near the entrance to the house as a symbol of hospitality After the fruit began to be grown in the tropics of many countries around the world - in the Philippines and Hawaii in the USA, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Thailand and Costa Rica - it became available to people with different income levels The fruits of a perennial plant of the Bromeliad family contain a large amount of useful substances that have a beneficial effect on the human body: vitamins, organic acids and minerals Therefore, Fresh Pineapple Day is a good reason not only to enjoy the sweet and juicy fruit, but also to take care of your own health