Pineapples are tropical fruits with a distinctive pinecone shape. The juicy, sweet yellow flesh is covered by a thick, prickly peel. Fresh pineapples should be purchased fully ripe, when they have a noticeably sweet aroma. Pineapple slices and crushed pineapple are available canned.
To peel a pineapple:
Trim off the crown and base. Set the pineapple upright on a work surface. With a knife, cut from top to bottom to remove strips of skin. If any brown eyes remain, cut them out with a knife.To halve or quarter and core a pineapple: Set the peeled pineapple upright on a work surface. With a sharp knife, cut in half from top to bottom. Halve again to make quarters. Slice off the core from each quarter.To slice a pineapple: For rounds, cut the peeled pineapple crosswise into slices, then remove the core with a knife. For smaller slices, cut the cored halves or quarters crosswise.