Pineapple: the King of Fruits

Pineapples are so culturally significant that pineapples adorn the tops of cathedrals, and serve as the domicile of one of the world’s most popular cartoon characters. An estimated 300 billion pineapples are farmed each year, and a 2021 YouGov poll lists pineapples as the sixth most favorite fruit, ahead of all varieties of apples and oranges.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:
www.thetiebar....
All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
Find The History Guy at:
Facebook: / thehistoryguyyt
Patreon: / thehistoryguy
Please send suggestions for future episodes: [e-mail]
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.
Subscribe for more forgotten history: / @thehistoryguychannel .
Awesome The History Guy merchandise is available at:
teespring.com/...
Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #Pineapple

[@004Black]

While managing an appliance store in Juneau Alaska, I hired a laborer who had recently paid his debt for his transgressions. He was a master gardener; a skill he acquired while serving at the Lemon Creek Correctional center. I say all that to say that he was able to grow pineapples in the prison greenhouse at the 58th parallel. That’s always amazed me.

[@vickiibendit943]

Quick note - the pineapple was a frequent design on cut crystal glasses. In the south, the water glass would be placed in the middle of the breakfast plate. Turned upright the guest was still welcome to stay. If the glass was upside down, it was time for the guest to leave. A nice, gentle, passive-aggressive way to tell your guest he/she had overstayed his/her welcome.

[@fredmichaels418]

A variation on this was in the Military NCO clubs .... beer glass right side up just meant it was empty ; upside down was a challenge to anyone in the place that the guy behind the glass was the meanest SOB in the club . My Dad taught me that when I was around 11 and had turned my soda glass upside down . I got schooled never to do that again unless I was feeling "Froggy" and at 11 years old my lil butt wasn't that jumpy !

[@tygrkhat4087]

My father served in the Marines, and spent time stationed in Hawai'i. He said that store-bought pineapple could not compare to fresh-cut pineapple right from the field.

[@minuteman4199]

Most fruit and veg don't travel well. I live in Canada and was never that enthusiastic about oranges until I travelled to Florida and had one fresh from the tree. There is no comparison between that and a Canadian grocery store orange.

[@davidedmundson8402]

Even better is a pineapple that is freshly stolen.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

As it is with anything grown in the soil - especially one's own garden soil - as fresh tastes so very much better than even hothouse-grown fruit and vegetables. It's just how the natural world works. Picking something before it's fully ripe and hauling it hundreds (or thousands) of miles, then having it sit on shelves in the market for who knows how long, while it's getting bumped and bruised in each process... it just doesn't allow for enjoying the best flavor the fruit or veggie has to offer!

[@EddVCR]

Wow, I’d LOVE to try a fresh cut pineapple. Pineapple is my top favorite fruit; I bet the fresh ones are out of this world good!

[@daleleisenring4275]

I dont consider the yellowish premature hard fruit we get in cans pineapple. When I was stationed at Hickam AFB HI. I had a Hawaiian friend who took me to the fields and grab one off the plant. We grabbed 4 then ran to the car. These ones are the one that are usually smaller and ripen prematurely compared to the rest of the field. All I can say is if you've not tasted a pineapple ripened in the field, you havent experienced a real pineapple! How good are they? It was so good I ate a whole one and started in on the 2nd one! Only thing I can compare the effect to would be be chocolate. But hey! Great chocolate is easy to find, a real field ripened pineapple, much more difficult. If fact, I dont even consider the taste texture, and smell even remotely the same! Its really that good!

[@HM2SGT]

One of the niftiest intros yet I have to admit, I never considered an in-depth look at pineapples before… This is the sort of minutia that is interesting and entertaining, nice to enjoy some thing that’s not too heavy once in a while. And also we incidentally learned a little something about bananas and the way that name must’ve come about.😺👍

[@RogueDragon05]

If you haven't yet you should check out his video on banana's

[@truthsRsung]

You didn't consider anything the man said. You just enjoyed watching it. He told us that to produce the "product" that you still want to call a fruit, can only be enjoyed if it is NOT allowed to be fertilized by the birds and the bees. If you considered this for even ONE moment, you would realize the first step in Pineapple production is KILL EVERYTHING ELSE IN SIGHT. This is too disturbing for you to think about while enjoying your breakfast though.

[@BeckVMH]

@Billy Sargent … ditto.

[@charles-y2z6c]

Yeah, almost as interesting as his in depth look at forks. Never would have thought it was so deep

[@itsapittie]

Pineapple is probably the only fruit we get in Alaska cheaper and fresher than the rest of the country due to our proximity to Hawaii. One of the things I enjoyed in Jamaica was the variety of pineapples. They grew several different types on the resort and they varied in flavor and acidity. I particularly liked a small one which was almost white and as tart as a lemon.

[@cvkline]

When I vacationed in Alaska it was really interesting to learn which things were cheap and which were expensive. Pineapple was one, but the thing that struck me the most was halibut! It may seem obvious because it's such a common fish in those waters, but I always marveled at how this "fine-dining" fish was just everywhere to be found. Had dinner at a sleepy little Mexican restaurant in Homer: special today, ceviche of halibut. Take a boat tour to visit the glaciers in Prince Willam Sound: complimentary lunch of steamed veggies and grilled halibut. On a paper plate, no less. It's so fascinating what governs how and why things are plentiful and cheap or scarce and expensive!

[@philmenzies2477]

Dont let the flat earthers hear you say that. you will explode their minds

[@cpscps2679]

Until recently you could get them for less than a buck fifty in Virginia.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Pineapple Pizza is one of my favorites.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Where would Carmen Miranda be without the pineapple in her tuti fruity hat ?.

[@TioDeive]

Only THG is able to transform the history of pineapple as if it is an epic tale, just unbelievable. Here in Brazil is a common fruit and I bet most of us don't know about this quite interesting history. It became part of our culture so much so that we say things like "having a pineapple to peel" (ter que descascar um abacaxi) or similar expressions means to have to face a difficult or complicated situation. Thank you again THG. Cheers from Brazil.

[@cliff8669]

As is his style, the History Guy keeps the stories interesting...never dole

[@mikelatorre9329]

😂

[@robertsmith36]

Well done

[@patrickpeterson6653]

😅🤣😂

[@marco77ar]

Nice....👍👍

[@johncoe929]

I see what you did there

[@djolley61]

The images of workers picking pineapples and carrying them in bags were very quaint. I worked for a summer in 1978 on the Dole plantation on Lanai in Hawaii, mostly picking pineapples, but also planting them (back-breaking work). Both picking and planting pineapple is very labor intensive. The most automated picking pineapple has become is through the use of a harvester machine that would rest on a large truck which would move slowly along while workers would select, pick, and place the pineapple on a conveyer belt on a long boom. There is room for a dozen or so workers along the boom. When the truck was full, the harvester would lift itself off the truck and another truck would drive underneath. The pineapple plants are very sharp and so workers must wear protective clothing, denim chaps and arm coverings, and goggles, which made for hot work.

[@steveskouson9620]

i did the same thing, on Lanai and Maui. Maui was Maui Land and Pineapple, Lanai was Dole. I was there, in 1974. Didn't make a lot, but I spent the summer on Hawaii! (Try to get a hotel room on Lanai! I was there for 6 weeks, at $3.25 a day.) steve

[@djolley61]

@@steveskouson9620 My brother would have been there the year after you in '75.

[@Columbiastargazer]

I worked in a Pizza by the slice place back in the '80's and a man would come by every other day to collect the pineapple juice we had drained before making pies and at the end of the summer brought us 6 bottles of Pineapple wine he had made with it. Not the best wine but remembered ...

[@TheDeepening718]

the cheese and the pineapple and the peperoni and the sauce and the oi

[@Columbiastargazer]

@@TheDeepening718 Ham & Pineapple is what the slices were...and the target demographic was 5 nearby nightclubs all closing at 2 am

[@laperted56]

A correction: “ananás” is originally a native Guarany name. In fact, the plant was called nana and the fruit anana. The Tupy name was “iwa’katy”, meaning the fruit that smells strongly. Inasmuch as in Brazil pinapple is called abacaxi (ah-bah-cah-SHEE)

[@Koorbllaf]

Eu ia comentar a mesma coisa!

[@muhammadfayyad2320]

Wait its similar in malay we called it nanas or nenas

[@HipnoDark]

Perfeito. Obg.

[@iskandartaib]

@@muhammadfayyad2320 Came from Portuguese I think..

[@arrjay2410]

I live in Toronto. Pineapple on pizza is a perfect example of Canadian Multiculturalism. A tropical fruit topping on an American version of an Italian dish, invented by a Greek in Canada. I like it.

[@JessHull]

i dont.

[@jhonwask]

I like it, too.

[@lynemac2539]

Rock -n- Roll!

[@DonMachado]

Anyone who disparages pineapple on pizza has clearly never tried it.

[@terryrussel3369]

These episodes should be featured two or three times a week in our schools . Always informative, entertaining and AMAZING.

[@quillmaurer6563]

Somehow The History Guy mentioning Spongebob Squarepants in an episode (regardless of topic) feels simultaneously surprising and very fitting. Funny to think that at one time kings built houses shaped like giant pineapples, so his house not only seems plausible but historically very fancy.

[@kesmarn]

And don't forget the pirate factor that all great stories must include.

[@scotto9591]

Many years ago, my brother was married in Williamsburg Virginia. A pineapple was a symbol of hospitality in that town. You would find them on poster beds and on front doors as carvings. And I enjoy what is referred to as Hawaiian Pizza, which is ham and pineapple on a thin crust.

[@jackvoss5841]

A carved, wooden pineapple was a sign of hospitality. When traveling, I carry sandwich fixings in a cooler. And I also carry a couple of bags of pineapple in bite sized chunks. An inexpensive, tasty treat that’s actually good for you! Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@bigmikeh5827]

Was stationed in Hawaii in the early 90s in the army and discovered my love of Hawaiian pizza. Thought it was an awful idea till my soldiers convinced me to try it. Been in love ever since. After eating fresh pineapple the canned type never tastes as good. Thank you for the vid. Another great job!

[@steverennie5787]

thank you for your service :)

[@andon_RT]

Even not-quite-fresh storebought whole pineapple blows the canned stuff out of the water, I can only imagine what a *truly* fresh one is like. And if you like semi spicy things? Pineapple Jalapeno pizza is a really nice combination

[@GlutenEruption]

@@andon_RT Truly fresh pineapple is on a different planet from canned. It almost doesn’t even taste like the same fruit. A good one is so tangy and acidic that your lips and tongue will start to get chapped if you eat too much in one sitting, but so delicious you don’t even care.

[@andon_RT]

@@GlutenEruption I have done that with canned pineapple before, so, uh. Sounds like putting me next to a truly fresh pineapple would be... risky.

[@dougreimer2912]

Interesting..It is a fact that pineapple was first used on pizza by a Chatham Ontario Canada pizzeria in 1962. I guess the people of Hawaii liked it too.

[@orihsenak]

My mom grew up in Hawai'i, during the sixties, and working at "the cannery" was a common job during the summer.

[@merlyworm]

@Mck Idyl And the Union Jack on its flag!

[@lohphat]

Mine too. Sadly the cane files and pineapple fields are no more. There’s only a small crop grown on Oahu for the Dole tourist center.

[@MrSlantwise]

@@lohphat There's Maui Gold pineapples grown on Maui too

[@lohphat]

@@MrSlantwise Correct. I was advised of that as I thought that was shut down in 2009 but it looks like it was saved.

[@learnedit]

Amazing and interesting presentation. You remind me a lor of my middle school history teacher in Germany. He asked those who were interested in that days lecture to gather closer to the front, and those that weren't to sit in the back. Only thing he asked was that those in the back would please be as quiet as possible. The back row students of course were allowed to move quietly to the front. The teacher spoke in a relatively low voice. He never, ever raised his voice, he had decided to not make a spectacle out of himself, he presented the history he was required to talk about in an interesting way. Many of the back row students eventually moved forward or remained quiet so they could hear as well. Love your passion about the topics you present.

[@Xx-ib6bf]

What a neat true story!

[@jphilb]

It amazes me how huge container ships cause us to take for granted almost everything from pineapples to spices, sugar, bananas, to all the inexpensive electronic devices we have everywhere.

[@HemlockRidge]

I wonder how much is rotting on the wharves of LA and San Diego, or on those container ships in the harbor. Thanks Longshoreman's Union.

[@dbmail545]

Fruit out of season is not even remarkable these days. But I still remark on it.

[@jamesrau100]

@@HemlockRidge I think you're being a bit unfair. It's not just a union problem; it's a wider logistics problem. Americans ordered huge quantities of goods that were manufactured overseas and are now just being delivered to the ports. There are also large numbers of empty shipping containers clogging the system because the truckers can't return them due to lack of space. 60 Minutes had a segment on the supply chain crisis last Sunday (11/14/2021). I too wanted to blame the Longshoreman's Union solely for this problem, but the problem is far more complex.

[@michaelwebber9036]

@@HemlockRidge don’t blame every thing on the the Union, there’s plenty to go around including the shipping companies themselves, rail companies, shortage of truck drivers etc.

[@fenderstratguy]

It used to be, if you had salt and pepper at your table, you were probably some kind of a king or wealthy merchant

[@ronh5717]

I was one of thousands of young men that went to Hawaii in my teens and picked pineapple for Maui land and pineapple company during the 70's and 80's. During my 7 months I picked over one hundred thousand pineapple. Not to shabby for a fifteen year old.

[@MagisterCobb]

If I was told I could only have one fruit to eat for the rest of my life, it would be a toss between the pineapple and the strawberry. Thank you for making an interesting video of one of my favorite foods!

[@robertterrell3065]

Yes, a toss-up!

[@lelandunruh7896]

Gosh that's a tough one. I'd add watermelon to the list for me, but could live with any of those!

[@theemmjay5130]

I'd probably choose the pineapple, simply because it's bigger, and therefore you might be able to do things with it that you couldn't do with strawberry. Although still, it would be a tough decision.

[@zenolachance1181]

If you think about pineapple while your eating a strawberry they taste like pineapple, I tried this recently and it's true

[@lelandunruh7896]

@@zenolachance1181 Interesting, I'll have to try that.

[@temgmcks00]

When I was in Hawaii about 20 years ago, I had a local resident from the church I went to give me some white colored pineapple that was a different variety than what can be purchased at any grocery store. The taste was so much sweeter and delicious than any of the yellow stuff found at a store.

[@theKEB42]

Pineapple on pizza sounds wrong, but with ham, green peppers and the right sauce it works. Those who profess to hate it most likely haven't tried it.

[@O-sa-car]

it clashes with the spices in marinara but it works with white and BBQ sauces

[@1pcfred]

Do you need to get shot to know you wouldn't like the experience?

[@scubaguy007]

Thanks, now I'm hungry. ☹😉

[@jimharringtonsr.2793]

Mine must involve onion...

[@lynemac2539]

Anchovies.

[@Peleski]

I think the most interesting fact is that pineapples are the only bromeliad fruit we commonly eat. For non gardeners, bromeliads are a hugely popular plant family (often seen growing on trees), known for their colour and tropical feel. The ref at end of video to the chemical bromelide is an pointer to this.

[@larrybrennan1463]

By the 1890s, pineapples were being cultivated in south Florida. The newspaper in Jacksonville would report the number of carloads arriving from the south over Flagler's Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Indian River Railway (re-named Florida East Coast in 1895) being shipped north. The railroad featured a pineapple in its logo, even painted on the side of passenger cars. A few bad freezes in the 1890s affected areas even in south Florida, and fruit grown in the Caribbean and Central America were bigger and more easily grown, so the pineapple industry in Florida faded away. However, it is still possible to grow pineapples here. When I was a kid in Orlando in the late Fifties, we would plant the tops of fresh pineapples. These took root and eventually produced small fruit. Even here in Jacksonville, I know people who have grown them. As a side note, the Spanish moss, seen draped from trees in the Southeast, is a relative of the pineapple.

[@helloworld0212]

Delray Beach was a big growing area too. There is even an area called Pineapple Grove. Interesting history.

[@preacherno]

Ananas in Norwegian, too. And, it’s without doubt the freshest of fruits. I got stuck on the piña taste during a many year mission to Colombia and learned how to pick the right and ripe fruit from local sellers. We also farmed the fruit ourselves but not with the same luck as vendors in the plazas. Back in Norway, most housewives (yes, they still do most of the shopping in spite of more equality) tend to pick the wrong pineapples for their looks so never hard to come by a fresh and ripe specimen. Costly, though.

[@C_HILL_OUT]

Who in their right mind would dislike any of his videos? I love these videos. Always informative and can’t wait for new content.

[@curiodyssey3867]

Might've been accidental. I've done it before to my horror

[@michaelwarren2391]

Some people are just naturally cantankerous.

[@lizj5740]

@@curiodyssey3867 Just click the thumbs-down icon again to remove it.

[@raydunakin]

This was very interesting! I never realized that pineapples aren't native to Hawaii -- in fact, I thought they originated there. Also didn't know about hummingbirds being banned there to prevent harming the pineapple crops. I wonder how they keep the hummingbirds away from the crops in other countries?

[@thebert8141]

Desk fans.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

It's not really a significant threat

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

It could be netting over the fields, or offering the hummingbirds something they like better, or just growing them where there aren't very many hummingbirds that travel through the area. Or it's just not enough of an issue for it to matter, most likely Imagine a great big field of pineapple flowers, all likely ready for pollination at the exact same time... there would have to be a gigantic number of hummingbirds covering that whole field in a few days' time before the flowers are past their prime, and I don't think that, even at the largest number I've ever seen or read about in one area, they could significantly dent the number of the harvestable crop enough to matter!

[@VarangianGuard13]

@@thebert8141 Desk fans... Thank you for the laughs. But yeah, that might actually do it.

[@steverennie5787]

I love pineapples... I think they belong on whatever you want to eat them with, be it pizza or whatever. My personal fav, is mixing a jar of spicy (hot but not too hot) salsa with 1/2 a can of crushed pineapple... mix it up and use as dip for tortilla chips (yum!). I even add some salt (not too much) to bring out both the sweet and savory flavors.

[@tsbrownie]

The length of time before harvest varies from 32 to 46 months (3-4 years), but can take even longer when it is grown from a cutting. My son found this out the hard way when he got a cutting and after 3 years it had not produced anything. A guy with experience told us that from cuttings they can take SEVEN years to produce fruit! (We gave the plant to him because we were tired of taking care of it and it cutting us every time we got near it.)

[@johnds6621]

yes to having kitchen wallpaper over grandma's house and having the carvings into furniture. LOL

[@jimeagle1155]

When I went to Hawaii on vacation one time, Having fresh pineapple that was picked ripe is 100% different than anything you taste anywhere else. Also their coffee is ridiculously good, Kona coffee in Hawaii taste better than Kona coffee anywhere else as well

[@denvera2810]

Pineapple on pizza…sweet and savory!

[@TheCaptaininsaino]

I love it - I always order ham, pineapple and bacon on my pizza. Looks like it's pizza nite tonight, guys!

[@cygnet4949]

Sponge Bob reference in intro and 11:56 is classic. Thanks THG!

[@nomdeplume5446]

I’ve worked in a pizza place for 13 years now. I’ve had pretty much every combination of toppings and sauce that you can think of. I put John Schnatter to shame with the amount of pizza I eat. And I can tell you without a doubt, that pineapple is great on pizza. I recommend pepperoni and pineapple if you’re unsure about it… unless you just don’t like it, that’s fine and valid too.

[@AmandaGeyerSnobahr]

I never had pineapple on my pizza until I met the guy I later married. He LOVES ham/pineapple pizza, and I was doubtful, the first time I tried it. My preferred toppings are pineapple, sausage, olive, and mushroom. I want to try anchovies at some point, but even now, in my 50s, I can't bring myself to actually order it.

[@clark9992]

I understand people saying they would never order Hawaiian pizza, if they haven't tried it. I was very sceptical of it myself. It just sounds wrong. When I tried some however, I loved it. I don't usually order it, because I just like it 99% as much as my favourite pizza, but when someone offers a slice, I always think, man, I could eat about six more of those.

[@killz0ne215]

Beef, pineapple and olive for me! Simple yet delicious...

[@steveskouson9620]

Canadian Bacon, Pineapple, onions Olives, and Pepperoni is my favorite Pizza, Oh, add mushrooms, and onions. And, some Italian Sausage, as well. steve

[@Scepticalasfuk]

Try pineapple, black olives, feta cheese and ham. The best. The olives and feta bracket the sweetness of the pineapple.

[@hoosierplowboy5299]

Well done, HG! I lived on Oahu '67-'78, enjoyed local pineapple many times. The Dole cannery was at the end of Fort Street in Honolulu, a pedestrian mall, and when the wind was right, the sweet fragrance of pineapple wafted for blocks...

[@weeds526]

Didn't think I'd see THG reference Spongebob but here we are lol. Great video as always

[@Errr717]

I grew up in one of the pineapple plantations in Molokai. Spent 3 summers picking pineapples in the 60’s.

[@Wordsnwood]

Very diplomatic of THG to not mention his own thoughts of pineapple-on-pizza... 😉🍍🍕

[@seatedliberty]

I commented on the Fibonacci sequence in pineapples once- my responses were zeroth, first, first, second, third, fifth, eighth, and thirteenth.

[@elisabird6245]

Thank you, History Guy; I´ve been waiting all day to watch this. I live on El Hierro, Canary Islands, which is known for quality pineapples. We have a sub-tropical climate and the islands are very high. Pretty well anything grows here; we grow tropical fruits including bananas and dragonfruits as well as pineapples, near the coast, and apples, pears and plums higher up. Best wishes and thanks for lots of pineapple-based information that I didn´t know before.

[@timothymulholland7905]

In Brazil, we can buy a delicious pineapple for about a dollar. We like it fresh, but it is a must on the menu of any pizzeria.

[@PierreaSweedieCat]

Called a Hawaiian PIzza, it was invented in Canada. And is a necessary part of any good diet!

[@LetsTakeWalk]

@@PierreaSweedieCat Nothing about Hawaiian Pizza comes from Hawaii. The idea is from Canada, non of the ingredients originat from Hawaii, and the guy who invented it was from Greece.

[@PierreaSweedieCat]

@@LetsTakeWalk I am well aware of this. Also, it has since been EXPORTED to Hawaii. They called it Hawaiian to make it sound exotic! And in Hawaii, their favourite is SPAM pizza. But we still call it Hawaiian Pizza, to differentiate it from the fully loaded Canadian Pizza.

[@MrErichonda30]

Just paid $1.48 on sale at Safeway in California

[@HM2SGT]

Isn't it fascinating to think of all the achievements and advancements that have made it possible for us to enjoy these 10 or 15 minutes in the morning 3 days a week?

[@dmeemd7787]

110%!!

[@quester09]

having pineapples brought to local stores too.

[@truthsRsung]

If you consider sterilizing an environment an achievement or slavery an advancement, then yes, enjoy.

[@AmB39]

Lol

[@truthsRsung]

@@AmB39 .....If you still put up with EVE, give her a slap for me. Not too hard, just a reminder.

[@onrwy]

My father had flown with Pan American Airways from before and after WWII, when Pan Am was the exclusive international airline through the Pacific. He often shared stories of his adventures...celebrities he met, sites he had seen, etc. I remember his story about flying to Hawai'i back in the time when Honolulu had only two hotels on the ocean...one being the Royal Hawaiian, which still exists. But the part of his story that stuck with me was when, back in the day before public health laws, etc., one entered the Royal Hawaiian lobby and, expecting to drink water from the public water fountain...surprise! Pineapple juice! Thanks for reminding me of these memories from my dad.

[@Orxenhorf]

Pineapples might not have driven the overthrow of the kingdom of Hawaii, but the Dole family most certainly did.

[@1QU1CK1]

Thanks! Years ago I visited the Mid Atlantic states and everywhere I went there were carved or cast pineapples above all the doorways, especially the older buildings. I asked what was with all the pineapples and was told it was a traditional sign of hospitality... which made no sense until now.

[@Vegaswill714]

This was a fun episode. Don't know if this qualifies as history, but it definitely deserves to be remembered!

[@jimharringtonsr.2793]

Tie it to the history of plantations, and yes, it is history.

[@biggmackaz]

Love THG stories and SpongeBob reference

[@RetiredSailor60]

Another great presentation about something I didn't know too much about. Thanks History Guy!!!

[@13Photodog]

In the early 1900s Pinellas County Florida (St. Petersburg - Clearwater) was a major pineapple producer.

[@madamesalamander16]

Re: Pineapple on pizza... My introduction to "Hawaiian" pizza arrived via Mandee's Pizza in Salem, MA. Their version included a few maraschino cherries. Thinner, small pieces of well-drained pineapple without added sugar are preferred, both to keep the sweetness in check and to minimize any extra moisture that would render the pizza soggy. Ham, pineapple and cherries are a long-loved holiday combo, and tomato sauce and cheese add the savory notes that so many of us like to pair with sweet. An unlikely set of friends, but ultimately complimentary. Add thinly sliced onion for another unusual but delicious dimension. Thank you for another mentally satisfying but hunger-inducing episode!

[@colinskelding8959]

Try pineapple on a white seafood pizza. Yum!

[@reallyseriously7020]

Pineapple is delicious when paired with pepperoni on pizza. A sweet and spicy combo.

[@jerrydillon9436]

I saw the pic of the pineapple,ham pizza now I want one it looks yummy🙂

[@Camman010]

The last day I was in basic training for the Canadian military we ordered pizza and one of the guys ordered a ham, pineapple and maraschino cherries pizza. I tried it and it was horrible because on the maraschino cherries. If you want to try my invention it is a Ham, Pineapple, Shrimp and Onion pizza. It will blow you away it is so damn good.

[@jamesbrown4092]

@@reallyseriously7020 Pineapple is also a good complement to hot peppers.

[@Mark-cg2bg]

In 1888, the first domestic pineapple plantation was established in what is now Jensen Beach, FL Within 14 years, Jensen was shipping over 1 million boxes of pineapples each year during the June and July season, earning the town the name “Pineapple Capital of the World.” Income from shipping the fruit helped bolster Henry Flagler's plan to extend his Florida East Coast railroad into the Florida Keys. Jensen Beach has history worth remembering, too.

[@tonyk1584]

The GI's in WWII were familiar with pineapples. Not the kind you ate though. The Mk 2 grenade had a shape and surface texture much like a ripe pineapple although much smaller of course.

[@frankzeppelin]

Actually knew a bit of the historical facts from a video that Fire of Learning did a while ago, but still lots of new info here. Keep doing great work The History Guy.

[@HM2SGT]

11:03 who would have thought we'd find Amelia Earhart at a pineapple plantation?!😸

[@ozsmiley07]

She's with Duke Kahanamoku aka "the Big Kahuna", a native Hawaiian who was a Olympic medalist in swimming and popularized the sport of surfing.

[@davidaustin6962]

That's who that was ... Was driving me crazy because I recognized her but couldn't remember who she was. Thanks!

[@dda40x1]

White Pineapple is the most delicious of all, I have a yard full of pineapple mostly white I have about 40 plants all from 3 pineapple about 3 years ago, they grow like a weed here in Hawaii, I have many pineapple plants that produce fruit and new plant off shoots year after year and we are at 1500 Ft. BTW your pineapple looks very under ripe.

[@samanthab1923]

Have Pineapple pretty much everyday. Like the design too.

[@kellybreen5526]

It does not matter how mundane the topic looks. Stuff I would not consider reading about becomes incredibly interesting when the History Guy writes on it. The only question is why do I watch, then hit like? Every episode no matter what the topic is very entertaining interesting and educational. I love this channel.

[@QuantumRift]

Having lived in Hawaii (Oahu) for nearly 7 years in the 80's, I got very familiar with the fruit, and actually prefer it's juice over that of any other fruit juice...I'm drinking a can of Dole Pineapple Juice (Not from Concentrate) even now. I buy it by the case. I am surprised that you merely glossed over developments in processing the fruit....the invention of the Ginaca processing machine - it worked like a giant 6-gun revolver and can process up to 100 fruits a minute (coring and peeling in one motion)..it's quite a fascinating machine just by itself. Also, another bit of trivia: That enzyme you mentioned is the exact reason why you can't include RAW pineapple in any Jell-O fruit 'salad' thing because it prevents the gelatin from, well, gelling (setting). That's why you have to use COOKED (canned) pineapple. As for Pineapple on a pizza? I like it either way. However, a debate, fight, or whatever over it is stupid because, well, it's like ART. If you LIKE pineapple on your pizza, eat it that way. If not, don't. There's no argument as it's highly subjective.Such is life.

[@rialtho_the_magnificent]

and now for something completely different: the Durian

[@poomsiraprapasiri8448]

Yes, the other "King of Fruits"!

[@LeBator]

@@poomsiraprapasiri8448 The ONE and ONLY KING OF FRUITS!

[@johnstevenson9956]

The television series "Psych", included at least one quick shot of a pineapple in every episode. You usually had to look pretty diligently to catch it, but it was always there.

[@sterfry8502]

Love these episodes about fruit and vegetables and where they originated and how they were cultivated. Just added to my top five favorite videos

[@BradGryphonn]

Queensland, Australia was a big producer of Pineapples for many years. Imports have nearly killed the industry though.

[@peekaboopeekaboo1165]

Pineapple imports from the US ?

[@billstopp5672]

I live in southern zone of Costa Rica where piñas and humming birds peacefully coexist. Enjoy the history guy.

[@QT2789]

I had fresh pineapple on a trip to Honduras. I was amazed as the hard core I knew in the U.S. was soft and edible. We miss out on so much when we can't eat fruits & vegetables that are truly fresh.

[@tangorv12]

Many years ago; I visited a Hawaiian pineapple farm. The guide picked one and cut it right there in the farm. That was by far the best tasting ever. The flavor starts deteriorate as soon as it's picked

[@pattorres4495]

The production continues to improve

[@LatitudeSky]

One of the best things about Pineapple is how easy it is to get. Listening to this video at 3AM, I was still able to go to my local 24-hour super gas station and choose from several different packages of fresh fruit with Pineapple included, or even a package of just Pineapple. And it was delicious. Truly a remarkable feat to go from a hothouse symbol for royalty to something simple anyone can buy any time a craving hits.

[@pamelamays4186]

I grew up believing that pineapples were native to Hawaii. Just recently I learned about how Dole was part of the plot to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy. I've only had Hawaiian pizza just once. It wasn't that bad. For a long time I wasn't aware that Hawaiian pizza was invented in Canada of all places!

[@rowerwet]

My first introduction to pineapple on pizza was through a Canadian friend. It's great with pepperoni

[@evensgrey]

Then there's the Canadian Pizza, which has ham, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers, or Canadian Eh!, which has pepperoni and bacon crumble instead of ham, or Canadian Legend which switches the ham out for beef steak. We've got many, MANY variants. (Don't even get into our side dishes that you've probably never heard of.)

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Pineapple and Canadian bacon....can't beat it.

[@machinesandthings9641]

Hawaiian pizza is crap. Thanks Canada

[@chrisgardner6677]

Aloha Pam, James Dole was not involved in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His older cousin Sanford Dole participated in the overthrow and would become the 'President of the Provisional Government of Hawaii.' Dole Pineapple, now Dole Foods, were no angels, but James Dole did not arrive in Hawaii until 1899, which was 6 years after the overthrow of our Queen Liliʻuokalani.

[@trj1442]

Automatic like for any THG post listening from downunder and off to bed @22.51. Thankyou for your conistently awesome content.

[@MrSlantwise]

Great video, as always. I live on Maui, and we still produce some here. In fact, we still produce the King of Kings of Fruits: the Maui Gold pineapple. But nothing like we did before. And, thanks for including the picture of Duke Kahanamoku and Amelia Earhart. Pretty cool pic! I hope you catch the Duke Kahanamoku documentary that just came out too. It's called "Duke." Looking forward to your next video. Mahalo!

[@jenmiller9744]

Thanks for this! I was trying to figure out who was in that photo. There's a two-part Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast about Duke Kahanamoku that I think I'll listen to, but I can't find the documentary you mentioned.

[@kungfupanda8221]

Wow excellent piece of information, as always your video is treat to watch. If possible make video on mango history too. As per my knowledge, mangoes came to USA from India. India is origin centre of mangoes housing more than 1000 cultivars. All of current USA mango varieties are suposedly origineted from single Indian mango cultivar 'Mulgoa'. Eventually secondary centre of origin was formed in USA particularly in the state of Florida. At present Indian fruit breeders are employing US mango cultivars such as Tommy Atkins, Haden and Sensation for imparting peel colour in Indigenous mango varieties.

[@rinardman]

I love pineapple and eat it almost every day, with cottage cheese. A favorite part of my lunch. The Dole pineapple slices I buy come from places I didn't know produce pineapple, like Kenya, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. I have eye floaters, and just read recently that pineapple can help reduce them, so I have been eating more pineapple lately. Oh, darn the luck. 🤗

[@steverennie5787]

I have retinal-apathy (not sure if thats what you have) and while I really need to watch my blood sugar level when I eat pineapple, I too have found they help with my eyes as well. Great observation.

[@davidaustin6962]

It's the bromelain that resolves the floaters. Try bromelain supplement should give you the same benefit, plus with the cofactors in pineapple the combo could be best.

[@lohphat]

There is no solid clinical trial data for Bromaline other than for treating burn victims. Marketing claims and anecdotes are why American have very expensive rune from unproven dietary supplements. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromelain_(pharmacology)

[@davidaustin6962]

@@lohphat bwaaahaahaaahaaa! Next time you try to sound like an authority on what has "solid clinical trial data" you might not want to use Wikipedia as your source! 😆

[@edwardlubin322]

Since the History Channel has turned into history's version of MTV, I'm glad THG is actually showing us actual history. Thanks to you good sir.

[@x808drifter]

I was lucky enough to visit the Dole Cannery here on Oahu during a field trip before dole closed it down. Pineapple and sugar were both killed off here by foreign competitors and cheap labor.

[@EDS2314]

Fascinating video, couldn't stop watching! Love the narrators voice and cadence as well. Great stuff, you gained a new subscriber.

[@notpurrfect6397]

You cannot make pineapple gelatin because its enzymes tenderize collagen, the protein that is gelatin. It won't set in a mold if pineapple is mixed in.

[@russbear31]

Partly true. If you boil the pineapple it kills off the enzyme and can then be added to gelatin. But it's true that raw pineapple cannot be added to gelatin.

[@erikjohnson9223]

Papaya and kiwi also do that. Some fruits need to be cooked.

[@AngloFrancoDane]

I live in Hawaii, but I never understood the ban on humming birds until I watched your story. Thank you!

[@katemaloney4296]

I never had pineapple on my pizza until my family moved to So. Utah in 1985. The moment I bit into a pineapple/Canadian Bacon slice I was a goner. However, I never had pineapple juice until I graduated from Boot Camp in Orlando in 1990. We had been given spoiled milk and all the soda we could drink (in the galley), but while I was waiting for my plane to take me out of Florida (for good!) I bought myself a bottle of pineapple juice--never had anything tasted so good, because it was freedom! To this day, whenever I feel that black dog nipping at my heels, I drink something pineapple to release the endorphins.

[@damarisparker7348]

The pineapple motif has long been used in crochet D'Oyleys and tablecloths. Nowadays it seems ordinary, however the reason why it became ubiquitous for tea parties has been forgotten as a direct memory. I realised the connection after watching an episode of Father Brown a few years ago.

[@The_Muthias]

My mother's home island of Sao Miguel acores also has a small pineapple production, Hawaii of the Atlantic 🍍✌

[@MR2Davjohn]

Do you mean "Azores"?

[@The_Muthias]

Yes, sorry my parents always spelled it that way. Not sure if it was a local dialect

[@stephenmoerlein8470]

@@MR2Davjohn Acores is the Portuguese name (the islands belong to Portugal).

[@erikjohnson9223]

As a child, I always thought anchovies were the most controversial pizza topping, though they are probably more authentically Italian than most toppings Americans use.

[@lc7ineo]

"Pineapple is the best thing that happened to pizza since tomato sauce." Genghis Khan

[@georgebuller1914]

If you'd said 'Ketchup' I would have known you were telling an untruth! ;-)

[@lc7ineo]

@@georgebuller1914 oh man! I missed that one! Lol

[@kristinapence4051]

The History Guy,wife and cat RULES! All your videos are awesome

[@coreyroberson4550]

"Fruit doesn't belong on pizza" say the people who eat them never questioning the olives and bell peppers and tomato sauce. if you think about it, Hawaiian pizza is the ultimate end product of world exploration. The crust is made from wheat (Iraq), the sauce from tomatoes (Peru/Ecuador), the cheese and bacon from items of ancient Eurasian/African descent, and Pineapples (Brazil), and it's all put together by a Greek in Canada as a slight derivation from an Italian dish. History is now complete. There will be no greater accomplishment in human history.

[@jimharringtonsr.2793]

When working on the Hilton Rainbow Tower tile mural replacement i became friends with a local. He laughed when I mentioned Hawaiian Pizza. My last week there, he took me out for pizza, and let me order what I wanted. Pineapple, ham, onion and, as a nod to Hawaii's best, Portuguese sausage. He had to admit it was good.

[@rnedlo9909]

Pineapple on my pizza please! Thank you for yet another great video.

[@bmay8818]

I'm in Hawaii right now on vacation and HOLY CRAP is the pineapple sooo much better here than on the mainland! I had no idea that Dole wasn't producing here any longer. I wish he'd at least mentioned the awful things Dole did here. No need to get deep into the depressing story, but I think it's important to not forget. Anyway, another great video, thanks!

[@nerd3d-com]

I love that everybody hates pineapple on pizza. I get it all to myself. Nomm nomm. Pineapple pizza!

[@cask1]

I very recently came across a video of a young man taking a propane torch to a pineapple skin and measuring the temperature with a meat thermometer.....it's amazing how resilient the skin is when it's fresh. Definitely an interesting video

[@lordgarion514]

"And tenderize meat" They do that by digesting the amino acids. They also digest the amino acids in your mouth. Which is why eating too much fresh pineapple, can be painful.

[@kesmarn]

I've been cautioned that if you place pineapple next to shrimp (not sure why you'd do that) on a cold platter, the pineapple will "eat" (start to digest) the shrimp and render it unpleasant and mushy. Is that true? (Never wanted to waste shrimp by performing my own experiment.) Sorry -- I seem to be addicted to parentheses today.

[@lordgarion514]

@@kesmarn Not just shrimp, all meats.(but shrimp and most fish are more delicate than land animals) Proteins are made of amino acids. If you break down the amino acids, you're breaking down the muscle itself. That's also why you only do short marinade times if the marinade has an acid in it. Acids(like vinegar) also break down amino acids, and will make the meat mushy, if marinated for too long.

[@alanfarnworth3805]

after preparing pineapple for an afternoon i almost erased my fingerprints :) lovely in small quantities.

[@jinngeechia9715]

@@lordgarion514 mix pineapple with dairy milk and you get a bitter drink. To make smoothie with pineapple you have to substitute dairy milk with coconut milk.

[@lordgarion514]

@@jinngeechia9715 Did not know that. Does it apply to cooked/canned pineapple, or just to fresh?

[@MrFreddyd3]

We lived in Del Monte’s Kunia Camp on Oahu. My parents were laborers and worked in the pineapple fields. Hard job, but the country and community life of the plantation were wonderful. Summers as a teen I worked for Dole my classmates work in the fields for Del Monte. Ahhhh, nostalgia.

[@robertgrey1377]

I love cooking pork and pineapple together. It’s kind of my thing. I have a special collard greens recipe that uses candied pineapple and bacon!

[@robertcoulson483]

Long ago I grew a pineapple from a store bought pineapple's "crown", which roots easily. We lived in Southern California's San Fernando Valley, but in some winters we could have a hard frost, so we planted the pineapple cutting in a large pot. One year later the plant produced a nice little pineapple; we waited to for it to grow to full size and become fully ripen. When fully ripe the pineapple it was golden yellow and had a delicious aroma that filled our patio with it's fragrance for several days! We cut the fruit and for the first time I experienced a fully ripe pineapple, it's taste was truly amazing and it was much softer than the "ripe" store bought pineapples. Sadly, when fully ripe pineapples are like peaches, in that they have to be picked before they become fully ripe as when fully ripe the fruits are too soft to withstand packing and shipping. Once you have tasted a fully ripe pineapple or peach fresh off the tree, be warned that store bought fruit that was shipped long distances will always seem like a disappointment. Maybe, it is better to remain blissfully unaware of the taste of fully ripe fruit ?

[@adrianwebster6923]

Now I need to know the history behind how and why someone looked at the pineapple for fibonacci numbers.

[@kleinjahr]

The Fibonacci series shows up in many places, from sunflower seeds to rabbit populations. The latter was what he was studying when he discovered the series. It can be viewed as a form of tessellation and a solution to the packing problem.

[@clayfoster8234]

@@kleinjahr I use it in furniture and interior design as well to determine proportions of individual elements of a larger thing, such as the crown mould or feet of a cabinet.

[@kleinjahr]

@@clayfoster8234 Much like using the Golden Mean for proportions.

[@Terribleguitarist89]

And no mention of the history of upside down Pineapples. Classy as always.

[@clayfoster8234]

Fun fact: the dole corporation selectively bred their pineapple crop to develop a pineapple that more perfectly fit their canning machinery.

[@mike30534]

Didn't know that about pineapple canning. I live in an area with a lot of poultry farms, and have leaned that the various corporations have developed a line of "broilers" to fit their slaughter and processing equipment. Broilers are ready for processing in 7-9 weeks whereas "roasters," a larger chicken, are bred to be processed at between 9-12 weeks using differently configured equipment. I've have friends who have taken a broiler or roaster chick from their chicken house and allowed them grow well beyond processing time. They don't make an attractive adult. In fact, their fast growth genetics can, if fed well, can render them so heavy they cannot support their own weight. In other words, they cannot cross the road.

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

How uncanny is that?

[@mike30534]

@@two_tier_gary_rumain I knew as soon as I saw "Pineapple Chicken" in my grocer's freezer that I was not bred for such!

[@afterthought3341]

We have Dole brand in Australia , the cheap one I purchase if can't afford local .

[@davidcantwell2489]

That reminds me of the Japanese who grow square watermelons for ease of shipping and preparing.

[@troikas3353]

Pinneapple and anchovies are the objectively superior pizza topping combination.

[@ronalddevine9587]

I love how your introductions are always different! As for pineapple 🍍 on pizza 🍕 TRY IT YOU'LL LIKE IT!!!

[@lynemac2539]

Pizza is nothing more than a large open - faced sandwich. Anything can go on it including peanut butter, but I prefer pepperoni and anchovies (which gross out as many people as pineapple does).

[@ronalddevine9587]

@@lynemac2539 I think a lot depends on where you live. I live in greater New Haven, and anchovies are probably the least favorite topping. Pepperoni and bacon is my favorite. Hawaiian is growing in popularity. Thirty years ago you could only find it in Greek pizza places. Nowadays nearly all places offer it.

[@MGB-learning]

Outstanding video and presentation.