Pais de Pina

After this semester, I can easily say that pineapple is my favorite fruit. In the U.S., my family never buys fresh pineapples. If we ever have it, it is canned, and not nearly as delicious as the real thing. I feel like the reasons we don't buy pineapples is because of the formidable figure it imposes and the tropical connotations that still exist left from the Europeans during the conquest. Canned pineapple seems much more domestic and modern-kitchen friendly. I am very excited that this semester has helped me realize how much a pineapple has to offer, the delicious inside that exists under its pinecone exterior. Likewise, I am glad that I have gotten to see past the tropical image of Costa Rica, and gotten to immerse myself in a culture that has much to offer, and is surprisingly similar to my own.

Here, pineapple is eaten fresh and also in desserts. I have it many mornings sliced up for breakfast, but it is not uncommon for it to be eaten throughout the day. When I asked my Tico mom if there were different kinds of pineapples being sold now than formerly, she said that export pineapples are the best and sweetest, and then Costa Ricans are sold the rest. While this didn't exactly answer what I was trying to ask, it points out the importance of pineapples as an export for Costa Rica's economy. Pineapples have and still play a large role in the history and economy of Costa Rica. To the U.S., pineapples symbolize the tropical environments they come from. To Costa Ricans, they seem to symbolize a source of pride for the product they grow and cultivate and export to other places who respect pineapples for their savory taste. Kind of like a piece of the tropics they share with the rest of the world, for a profit.

One thing I have noticed while I have been here, is that at McDonald's, instead of apple pie, they have a pineapple pastry, and instead of apples in a happy meal, they have pineapples. This shows that pineapples are very prevalent in Costa Rica and ties back into how these fast food chains have adapted to these countries to fit in and offer specialized items to their audience. Looking around the supermarket, pineapples are in many desserts and jellies. It is clear that pineapples play a large role in Costa Rican's diets. In Mas por Menos, pineapples are piled up in crates with the rest of the fruits. Some have their hair shaved off to make them easier to purchase.