Fresh Pineapple seemed to be in every grocery flyer last
week and incredibly they were priced anywhere from $4.99 to $1.96. My partner
picked up 2 at $2.99,one stayed at our son’s house and the other went to work with him.
I picked up 2 more at the lowest price and we made a delish pineapple salsa
with a homemade Creole/Cajun type seasoning mix.
Since I don’t throw any food
scraps away if I can help it, I proceeded to make Tepache out of the pineapple
rinds and core. Tepache is a fermented pineapple drink that originated in
Mexico, while researching on the Internet I came across several versions. One
included adding sliced oranges and tamarind and another suggested adding a chipotle
or ancho chile. Another site explained that some tepache makers add loose-leaf
tobacco to increase smokiness and potency. (Hmmm….wonder what a spoonful of
Lapsang Souchong tea would add to the mix)?
Mexican Tepache
1 Pineapple, rind and core removed
3/4 cup brown sugar*
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves, crushed
4 cups water
*If you can find some, use Piloncillo. A pure, unrefined sugar that is pressed into a cone shape. It has the same flavour as brown sugar but does not contain molasses.
To make this “Liquid Gold” you simply cut the top and bottom off the pineapple and then cut the rind off all away around. Next, cut the pineapple in four pieces from top to bottom, cutting through the center core. Remove the core from each piece and chop the rest of the pineapple flesh into small cubes and set this aside for another recipe.
Cut up the core and rind into smaller pieces and place into a large mason jar. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and brown sugar. Fill the mason jar with distilled water and let the mixture sit on a counter for 48 hours. After that, strain and place the fermented pineapple liquid in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.
I plan to rim a large glass with a sea salt, sugar and cayenne pepper mix, fill the glass with ice and tepache and then finish with a splash (or two) of beer. I still have another pineapple left and am seriously thinking about making a Pineapple Vinegar with that one.
