The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-09
SPANISH SHIPS DISABLED.
PINEAPPLES AND BANANAS.
The Proper Way to Eat Them to Enjoy
Them at TIL cir Best.

grow it always seems shameful sight to
look upon the .butohery which overtakes
the pineapple before 1t gets to the tables
of those who do not know how to eat the
fruit. Its rind is hacked off, the eyes are
gouged out and thelmeat is cut in slices.
the juice runs away and is lost, the flesh
is fibrous and the core is always left as
i'll treatment of a delicious fruit because
the rind and the eye in particular can
sting the mouth like nettle, though
like the nettls they are perfectly harm
less if properly handled. There Is but one
proper way to deal with the pine. and
this is it,
Select one from small to medium in
size, for in these the flavor is best, and
never take one which has not both stem
and crown. Remove the stem and throw
it away, but after twisting out the crown
keep it for future reference. In the shall
low pit from which the crown has been
twisted drive two strong skewers down
through the central core until they must
come through at the bottom. Then pull
the skewe1s apart, and it will be found
that the pine Is split asunder from crown
to stem. Then it is simple matter to
split the core so as to divide again each
half of the fruit. A little experience will
bring the knack of thus dismemhering d
pine without squeezing out tablespoon
full of its juice. Put the pieces together
IN their natural position, tie with mar
row ribbon, fasten the crown where 1t be-
longs and the pine is ready to serve by
simply untying the bow OF ribbon. 1t is
eaten by separating each of the little
squares of the rind from the rest and rip
ping the flesh to the core. By this means
no juice is lost, the fibre splits along its
natural line of cleavage. and the dreaded
r1nd and eye serve as convenient and
proper handles for conveying the fruit to
the lips. Those who wish the very
essence of the flavor Of the pine claim the
crown for their portion. Pull off all the
leaves carefully to the very heart, and
there will be found two dainty soft white
leaves in a spike about half an inch long.
Dip the tender morsel in wee drop OF
tabasco and the flavor of the pine will
linger on the palate for day.
1t may seem the easiest thing in the
world to eat banana-just peel off the
rind, eat the flesh, and rid ones self of
the outer covering either by throwing it
down as trap for the pedestrian if no
policeman is in sight, or else carrying it
to some receptacle for rubbish, as the law
provides. But the botanists have named
the banana Musa Sapientum, by way of
a hint that only the wise know how to
get the best out of the fruit. Commonly
the banana eater strips off the rind by
pulling 1T down in ribbons from the stem
end, which never fails to leave several
strips OF bitter fibre closely attached to
the inner flesh, fibre which spoils the
flavor of the fruit, and is difficult to re-
move. 1t 1T is held necessary by d1sor-
dered taste to peel the banana in strips,
one should at least begin at the bud end,
when 1t will be found that the Lhbre
bands come off with the rind, and DO not
adhere to the flesh. But the right way to
get at the edible portion of the banana
is to begin in the middle.
Every banana is a modified triangle In
section, one side, the inner race OF the
curve, being nearly fat Hold the banana
With the stem end toward you ana the
hat side uppermost. With the thumb nail
make a little cut in the sharper edge at
the left of the fruit about its middle, a
cut just deep enough to secure a firm
hold. Now steady pull will rip the
rind from bud to stem along the edge,
and continuing the pull the rlnd will I'M
wrap itself in a continuous piece around
the fruit, carrying with IL every strip OF
Inner fibre and the 1asteiess pun always
found at the bud end: !nere Will be nc
at the right 1t stage of ripeness for eating
as hand fruit-that is, when the fruit
has become yielding to the a, touch;
an earlier stage. If they are to be baked
they should be taken just when the green
color is beginning to change to the yel-
low of ripeness. Remove the rind and
bake in a quick oven on buttered mans.
For frying they must be allowed to ripen
until the rind is all yellow, but the flesh
is still hard. Squeeze the fruit steadily
from end to end in the whole hand until
something Is felt to give evenly inside.
separated In three longitudinal seg,uents.
Dip in white of egg and plunge into a
kettla of boiling olive oil. This is q Phil.
ippine recipe, and no one who has even
tried 1T will be content with a banana
out into disks or strips and fried to q
greasy mush In pan with butter,