[1] Serve pineapple juice on the rocks with a wedge of fresh pineapple (photo © Denys Gromov | Pexels).

[2] Make a no-bake pineapple cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Kraft Recipes).

[3] Spiced Pineapple Rum Punch. Here’s the recipe (photo © Koloa Rum).

[4] Pineapple Pound Cake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[5] Canned pineapple juice from Dole enabled people in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere to experience it (photo © Dole Food Company).

August 14th is National Pineapple Juice Day. While we don’t think we’ve had a glass of pineapple juice in our adult life, we have had it in cocktails, desserts, glazes, marinades, and other recipes.

Here are some of them. We’ve also included a few that include pineapple chunks or slices but no added juice.

> The history of pineapple.

> The history of pineapple juice is below.
 
 
DRINKS WITH PINEAPPLE JUICE

 
 
DESSERTS WITH PINEAPPLE JUICE

 
 
USES FOR LEFTOVER PINEAPPLE JUICE

 
 
PINEAPPLE JUICE TRIVIA

Pineapple juice is rich in nutrients, particularly copper, manganese, and vitamins B6 and C. These nutrients play an important role in bone health, immunity, wound healing, energy production, and tissue synthesis.

Some research suggests that pineapple juice may contribute to a stronger immune system.

In 1932, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company successfully developed a process of clarifying the juice, while capturing the aroma and flavor of the fruit.

Countries consuming the most pineapple juice:

 
Pineapple juice can be used as a meat tenderizer.

Pineapple juice powder can be used in baked goods (cakes, muffins, pies, scones), candies, condiments (barbecue and chili sauces, chutneys, jams), and savory recipes like sauces and stews.

Pineapple juice powder can also be used in marinades for chicken and fish.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF PINEAPPLE JUICE

The pineapple Ananas comosus var. comosus) originated in South America, thousands of years ago. It is believed to have originated in what is now southern Brazil and Paraguay.

The natives of those regions carried it throughout South America via trade. It eventually reached the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico, where it was cultivated by the Mayas and the Aztecs.

The first Europeans to see pineapples were Christopher Columbus and his crew, on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, in 1493. Columbus called them piña de Indes, “pine of the Indians,” because their shape was reminiscent of Europe’s pine cones.

He brought them back to King Ferdinand in Spain, and the exotic fruit was an instant hit in the royal court.

It was brought to northern Europe by the Dutch, from their colony in Surinam.

Spanish traders introduced the pineapple to Guam, Hawaii, The Philippines, and Zimbabwe.

There is no record of the date when pineapples arrived in Hawaii. The fruit may have arrived with the Spanish years before the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1778. Conceivably, it could have washed ashore from a Spanish or Portuguese shipwreck or brought ashore by sailors [source].

However, the presence of pineapples was first recorded in 1813. A Spanish horticulturist, Don Francisco de Paula Marin, described pineapple planting in his journals in 1813.

When American missionaries first arrived in Hawaii in 1820, pineapples were found growing wild and in small gardens.

The pineapple canning industry began in Baltimore in the mid-1860s using fruit imported from the Caribbean. The export-based Hawaiian pineapple industry was developed by a group of Californians who arrived in Hawaii in 1898, and the well-connected James D. Dole who arrived in 1899.

The first profitable lot of canned pineapples was produced by Dole’s Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1903 and the industry grew rapidly from there [source].

Pineapple juice is manufactured from ripe pineapples. It contributed to the success of Hawaii’s pineapple industry in the 1930s.

In 1932, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company successfully developed a process of clarifying the juice, while capturing the aroma and flavor of the fruit.

This led to the large-scale cultivation of pineapples and the canning of both the juice and the fruit (slices, chunks, crushed).

This enabled many Americans, Europeans, and consumers in other parts of the world to experience pineapple for the first time. Fresh pineapples were very costly, due to the need to pick them when ripe. and then transport them across the seas.

Most of America’s pineapple juice consumption goes into cocktails.

Otherwise, the average American drinks pineapple juice 1.4 times per year [source].

The global pineapple juice market size was valued at $2.37 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% from 2022 to 2028 [source].
 
 

Maury Pittman, a fitness trainer and wellness professional, has reinvented the tea bag. He’s infused it with honey.

You add boiling water, steep, and sip: The sweetness of honey pleases your palate to the end. Yummy honey with no sticky mess.

How does he do it?

Maury’s tea bags include premium robust black or green tea and premium, granulated honey.

The result is both delightful and invigorating.

With 10 years in business under his belt, Maury is still making his uniquely blended tea bags, each filled with a perfect combination of whole-leaf tea and sweet granulated honey.

It’s a tea-riffic combination, says Maury, who continues to use only the best, highest-quality teas and granulated honey.

So: Steep, sip, and enjoy a cup of hot or iced tea infused with honey (and lots of love from Maury).
 
 
MEET THE TEAS

Maury’s offers two premium teas, black and green, both available in regular and decaf, both all-natural.

The specialized formula works great in both hot and cold water.

All you have to do is heat the water and allow the bag to steep. The longer it steeps, the sweeter it gets.

Maury’s Black Buzz

Maury’s Black Buzz tea bags are whole-leaf black tea uniquely blended with sweet granulated honey.

Maury’s Green Glory

Maury’s Green Glory tea bags are whole green leaf tea uniquely blended with sweet granulated honey.

Black or green, caf or decaf, every cup is pure deliciousness.
 
So, whether you’re snuggling on the couch with a hot cup of tea, or on the patio with a tall glass of iced tea, experience the delights of Maury’s Hive Tea.

Sip, sip, hooray!
 
 
GET YOUR MAURY’S HIVE TEA

A box of 15 tea bags is $9.99, with shipping and taxes included.

A box of 30 tea bags is $18.99, with shipping and taxes included.

Subscribe & Save: 30 bags delivered every 30 days is $16.99 per month.

Are you ready to join the hive?

Head to MaurysHiveTea.com.
 
 
TAKE A SIP OF THIS TEA INFO

> The different types of tea.

> The different types of honey.

> The history of tea.

> The history of iced tea.

> The history of tea bags.

> The history of afternoon tea.

> The history of honey.

> A year of world and national tea holidays.
 
 
HONEY HOLIDAYS

World Honey Bee Day is celebrated every third Saturday in August (upcoming: August 19, 2023, August 17, 2024).

National Honey Month is September.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] What’s missing from this picture? The sweetener! That’s because honey granules are in the tea bag (photo © Mark T. Wendell Tea Company | Facebook).

[2] A box of Maury’s Black Buzz (photos #2 and #3 © Maury’s Hive Tea).

[3] A box of Maury’s Green Glory.

[4] With Maury’s, there’s no need to drizzle honey, or clean up dripped honey (photo © National Honey Board | Facebook).

[5] Instead, there are honey granules in each tea bag. You can also use it in brines, marinades, sauces, vinaigrettes, and drizzled on frosting. You can find granulated honey online (photo © Spice Jungle).

[1] Classic SPAM Musubi. Here’s the recipe (all SPAM photos © Hormel).

[2] SPAM Musubi Spring Roll. Here’s the recipe.

[3] Barbecue SPAM Musubi. Here’s the recipe.

[4] SPAM Musubi Pizza. Here’s the recipe.

[5] Inside-out SPAMtastic Musubi. Here’s the recipe.

[6] You can make musubi and other finger food with this inexpensive press (photo © Ayccnh Store | Amazon).

[7] Beyond musubi recipes, furikake can be used to sprinkle on rice, grains, eggs, potatoes, and other foods (photo © Eden Foods).

You may know what SPAM luncheon meat is, but do you know SPAM Musubi? It’s when a slice of SPAM is served atop a pad of nigiri sushi rice. Yes, it’s SPAM sushi. And we’ve got SPAM Musubi recipes!

August 8th is National SPAM Musubi Day, trailing July 31st, National SPAM Day.

What is SPAM Musubi? It may look like SPAM sushi, but sushi requires vinegared rice and this rice has no vinegar.

Instead, musubi is the same as onigiri, a Japanese rice ball (made in different shapes) that’s made with regular steamed rice, no vinegar. Meat, fish, or vegetables are tucked inside the rice.

Both musubi and onigiri mean the same thing, with regional differences. Some Japanese speakers use one word, some use the other.

Recipes follow, but first a bit of history as to how SPAM musubi came to be.

> The history of SPAM.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF SPAM MUSUBI

During World War II, many Pacific outposts had little refrigeration or local sources of meat. American and Allied troops were supplied with cans of SPAM, which were easily stored without refrigeration, required no cooking, and could be eaten on the go.

Hormel says more than 100 million pounds of SPAM were shipped overseas on both fronts, to help feed the troops during the war. Not surprisingly, the troops got sick of it.

Even the commander-in-chief. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, ate his share [source].

But after the war, residents of conflict-wracked countries struggled with hunger and famine, and cans of SPAM sent to them were sometimes the only protein source available. SPAM became integrated into local dishes.

In the decades after World War II, as native Koreans and Japanese migrated to Hawaii, they brought their cuisines.

Japanese immigrants to Hawaii are credited with inventing SPAM musubi, a SPAM version of a rice ball.

Musubi uses SPAM instead of the fish or other ingredients used in a rice ball (musubi or onigiri).

SPAM musubi has led to SPAM burritos and SPAM tacos. There are also SPAM banh mì, SPAM bibimbap, SPAM budae jjigae (Korean stew), SPAM corn dogs, SPAM fried rice, SPAM fries, SPAM poke bowls, SPAM ramen, and much more.

Check out all of the official SPAM recipes.

In Hawaii, where the U.S. military has long maintained a presence, more SPAM is consumed per person than in any other state.
 
 
25 MORE SPAM MUSUBI RECIPES

In addition to the original SPAM musubi recipe, below, the brand has created:

 
 
RECIPE: ORIGINAL SPAM MUSUBI

You can make this with one or two rice layers.

The rice is seasoned with furikake is a Japanese seasoning made from dried bonito, sesame seeds, nori seaweed flakes, sugar, salt, and MSG. You can find furikake in Asian food stores and online.

Its name derives from the Japanese word for sprinkles. It’s commonly served on bowls of steamed rice.

Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 5 minutes (plus rice cooking time).
 
Ingredients For 2 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. COOK the SPAM in a large skillet until lightly browned and crisp. Drizzle with grill sauce or cooking sauce.

2. PLACE the rice into a musubi press. Or, line the inside of an empty SPAM can with plastic wrap and add the rice. Press the rice down firmly.

3. SPRINKLE the rice with seasoned furikake and toasted sesame seeds. Place the SPAM on top of the rice. Press down firmly. Optional: top with the remaining rice and press down.

4. REMOVE the layered SPAM and rice from the musubi press or can. On a work surface, cut the nori to the desired width.

5. LAY the nori shiny-side-down. Top with the layered SPAM and rice. Wrap the nori around it. Serve immediately.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

August is National Sandwich Month. While sharing some of our favorite sandwich recipes, we’re also presenting a year of sandwich holidays (below). Plan to celebrate!

The modern European sandwich began in England in 1762 as a portable, convenient finger food. The concept spread over time to countries worldwide, resulting in the stuffed pita pockets of the Middle East to Korean bao, Japanese katsu sando, and Vietnamese bânh mì.

So what exactly is a sandwich? You know what it is, but just for the record:

A classic sandwich comprises two slices of bread with a filling.

The filling can be just about anything but typically consists of cheese, fish, meats, protein salads (chicken, egg, tuna), or vegetarian/vegan ingredients, that are placed between the slices.

The bread can be slices from a loaf or can be a roll (bagel, hamburger roll, hero roll, hot dog roll, kaiser roll, etc.), international bread (baguette, ciabatta, croissant [photo #1], focaccia), flatbread wraps (photo #4), and even non-bread, like lettuce leaves (photo #5).

Within the overall realm of “sandwiches,” there are at least nine sub-categories. Here they are, per our own analysis and breakdown.
 
 
CATEGORIES (TYPES) OF SANDWICHES

Note that within the nine types of sandwiches, the definition of a sandwich as two or more pieces of bread with filling between them varies in the case of open-faced sandwiches, specialty sandwiches, and wraps.

Classic sandwich. Any filling between two slices of bread, a sliced roll, biscuit, croissant, bagel, etc. Two slices of thicker flatbreads, such as focaccia and naan, can make a conventional sandwich. Hero and hoagie sandwiches also fall into this category. So do donuts and waffles substituting for bread, Paula Deen style.

Dessert/sweet sandwich. These include regular sandwiches with sweet fillings: Marshmallow Fluff and jelly or peanut butter, Nutella, and banana and chocolate spread, for example. We’ll add ice cream sandwiches, “frozen sandwiches” which sandwich ice cream betweern thin slices of cake or cookies.

Double-decker sandwich or stacked sandwich. A conventional sandwich with at least three slices of bread. A club sandwich, for example, can be made from three or four slices of bread. A Big Mac is a double-decker sandwich. A Dagwood is the king of stacked sandwiches.

Fried sandwich. A classic sandwich with a filling is dipped into an egg mixture, with or without a breadcrumb coating, and then deep-fried or pan-fried. A Monte Cristo sandwich is an example.

Grilled sandwich. This category includes sandwiches grilled on a flat grill, a wire grill, a grill pan on the stove, or a panini press. The objective is to melt or warm the ingredients. The best example is a grilled cheese sandwich.

Open-faced or open-face sandwich, a.k.a. an open sandwich, tartine in French, and smørrebrød in Danish. It uses only one slice of bread with the filling piled on top. Hot sandwiches such as roast beef and gravy are often served open-faced. Avocado toast, Eggs Benedict, and Welsh rarebit [rabbit] are also open-faced sandwiches, as is the infamous creamed chipped beef on toast. A tostada could be given a pass into this group.

Paleo sandwich. Bread is not part of a paleo diet, so paleo sandwiches use cabbage, collard, or lettuce leaves, or cauliflower patties as their base. Depending on the base, they can be crafted like conventional sandwiches or wraps (photo #5).

Party sandwich or specialty sandwich. This comprises a fancy presentation typically made for parties or afternoon tea. Examples include:

 
Wrap sandwich. A sandwich filling is rolled in a soft flatbread such as lavash, naan, piadina, pita, or tortilla. Burritos, quesadillas, and tacos can also be considered as part of this group. And, while it isn’t made with bread, a cabbage, collard, or lettuce wrap (photo #5) also belongs here.
 
 
> The history of the sandwich.

> The different types of sandwiches: a glossary.
 
 
SANDWICH HOLIDAYS
 
January

 
March

 
April

 
May

 
July

 
August

 
September

 
October

 
November

[1] A sandwich is a filling in between two slices of bread. That includes rolls and other breads such as croissants (photo © Andrea Roxana | Unsplash).

[2] There are dessert sandwiches, too, like this chocolate panini served with a side of ice cream (photo © Parma 8200 | Bloomington, MN [alas, permanently closed]).

[3] Lobster rolls are a sandwich, as are hot dogs and burgers (photo © Taste Of Home).

[4] Wrap sandwiches are easy to make: Just roll the ingredients in a tortilla or other flatbread (photo © Cloud Food | iStock Photo).

[5] Can’t have bread? Make your wrap sandwich with cabbage, collard, or lettuce leaves (photo © Coffee And Quinoa).

[6] Pinwheel sandwiches are fancy party fare (photo © Hidden Valley).

[7] A sandwich loaf or party sandwich loaf is a sandwich made from a loaf of bread and iced with cream cheese or other savory to resemble a layer cake. Here’s the recipe for this one (photo © Betty Crocker).

*British Sandwich Week is a week-long celebration of “quite possibly the most iconic British culinary invention, the sandwich.” It is essentially a marketing promotion for brands and some feature charitable components. The sandwich industry also holds its Sammies Awards, with winners in numerous categories (e.g. Best New Sandwich, Sandwich Retailer of the Year, Healthy Eating Award Winner).

†German Sandwich Day celebrates a simple, open-faced German sandwich called a Butterbrot (“buttered bread”). It’s a favorite German snack, consisting of a single slice of high-quality German bread and quality butter, served plain or topped with fresh herbs, sea salt, or something more substantial—e.g. a slice of cheese or meat, cream cheese, jam, honey, or Nutella.

[1] Uncork a bottle of Albariño, a perfect summer one (photo © Foods & Wines From Spain | Facebook).

[2] Albariño is straw gold in color (photos #2 and #5 © Rías Baixas Wines | Facebook).

[3] Pouring a glass of Alvarinho from the Ribiero region of Portugal. Here’s more about it (photo © Follow The Camino).

[4] Instead of a pricey Chablis, try an Albariño with oysters and plats de mer. It’s much more reasonable (photo © Alvin’s Wine Bar | Paradise Point, Queensland, Australia).

[5] A cluster of Albariño grapes.

[6] Pair Albariño with raw fish: ceviche, crudo, poke, sashimi (in photo), sushi, tartare, tiradito

August 1st is International Albariño Day, celebrating what many consider to be Spain’s premier white wine.

Albariño (al-bar-EEN-yo) is an aromatic white wine grape that is native to the Northwest Iberian Peninsula.

Its growing region spans Spain and Portugal (in Portuguese it is spelled Alvarinho [al-var-EEN-yo])*. “Albus” is Latin for white.

It’s a cool-climate grape, with thick skins that enable it to thrive in cooler weather.

The vines have great longevity. They can grow to upwards of 300 years of age.

Albariño’s primary growing regions are:

 
Here are more top-scoring wines to try.
 
 
THE FLAVOR OF ALBARIÑO/ALVARINHO

Albariño/Alvarinho wines are generally light with bracing acidity. Known as aromatic wines, they offer elegance, complexity, dryness, crispness, and fruit flavors.

They are low-alcohol wines, with levels ranging between 8.5% to 11.5% A.B.V., and some up to 13%.

(A.B.V. refers to alcohol by volume, in all alcoholic beverages. Double the A.B.V. to get the proof.)

Albariño is meant to be consumed young, as its charming aromatics fade all too quickly after bottling. When you get to the three-to-five-year range, drink it up!

Albariño should always be served chilled but never ice-cold. Low temperatures suppress both the flavors and the aromas of any wine.

Depending on the terroir†, you’ll find different flavor and aroma profiles in Albariño.

Flavor. The classic Albariño wines of Iberia usually have exceptional freshness.

Their flavor profile ranges from tart citrus to stone fruits, with tropical fruit aromas. When you taste the wine, see if you find any of the following:

 
You may find a resemblance to some Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Some people also liken Albariño to Vermentino, a light-bodied white wine that grows mostly on the Italian island of Sardinia.

Aroma. On the nose, the grapes yield aromas of almonds, grassiness, stone fruits (especially apricot and peach), and white flowers‡.

Some compare the aroma to Gewürztraminer and Viognier.

Depending on the terroir, the wines may also have a nice minerality.

The wines can also show a subtle salinity (the barest whiff of the sea), owing to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean (they are “coastal” wines).
 
 
PAIRING ALBARIÑO WITH FOOD

With its light body, albariño is considered a warm-weather wine ideal for lighter dishes.

Since its acid cuts through fat and oil, Albariño can also be a great match with fatty fish like salmon, and even fatty meats like pork belly.

Consider Albariño for light- to middle-intensity foods. Dishes that feature citrus and/or aromatic herbs are a definite thumbs-up.

Serve Albariño with:

+ Fresh cheeses like burrata and chevre (goat cheese)
+ Salty cheeses like blue cheeses and feta
+ Semi-hard cheeses such as Asiago, Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gouda, and Manchego
+ Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert
+ Cheese dishes like fondue, raclette, and Welsh rabbit

 
If you pour Albariño with one of these courses, it will also serve as a great palate cleanser before serving a heavy meat course.

The Albariño grape has been cultivated since ancient Roman times. Albariño grape seeds dating to between the second and fourth centuries C.E. have been found in an old Roman salt mine in Vigo, Galicia.

Over much of its lifetime, the Albariño grape was primarily used in blends.

But after the phylloxera outbreaks in the 19th century, the replanted Albariño emerged as a wine in its own right.

It became known as the primary grape of the Rías Baixas winemaking region in Galicia, Spain, where it comprises around 90% of the grapes grown.

The grape was long thought to have been brought to the monastery of Armenteira in Galicia by Cluny monks in the 12th century, during their journey along the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James).

However, recent scholarship indicates that the grape is native to Galicia.

For centuries, the wine was produced by the religious orders, since they were the main owners of the vineyards.

From Galicia, the cultivation of the grape and the production of Albariño wine spread throughout the Middle Ages to other regions of the Rías Baixas, eventually reaching Portugal [source].

By the end of the 19th century, following revolutions that swept through Europe, the monasteries’ lands were confiscated and auctioned off.

By the mid-20th century, the properties began to move from the hands of the nobility to small producer commoners.

For centuries if not millennia, Albariño/Alvarinho vines could be found casually growing around the trunks of poplar trees and in bushes along the outside margins of fields—a practice that still exists in Portugal’s Vinho Verde region.
 
 
Albariño In The 20th Century

In the middle of the 20th century, growers “got serious” and made investments to produce better quality grapes and wines.

Also in the 20th century, Albariño vines began to be planted in other areas, including Argentina, California, and Chile, and then to France, Moldova, New Zealand, South Africa, Ukraine, and Uruguay.

While Albariño blends still prevailed through most of the 20th century, in 1986 the Spanish government established the Rías Baixas Denominación de Origen (D.O.).

As a result, winemakers began to produce varietal Albariño wines, crafted primarily with contemporary European and American tastes in mind: the refreshing light body described above, with flavors of grapefruit, honeydew, lemon zest, nectarine, saline, and a touch of bitterness at the end [source and source].

In Portugal, however, blends endure. Most Alvarinho is made into Vinho Verde, which is a blend of white grapes, all indigenous to Portugal‡‡.

So what’s next?

It’s you, heading to the wine store to buy a few different bottles of Albariño and Vinho Verde for a tasting.
 
 
________________

*The wine is also known as Albarina, Alvarin Blanco, Alvarinha, Alvarinho, Azal Blanco, Galego, and Galeguinho.

†Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affects a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type, and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics give a fruit or vegetable its unique character.

‡These aromas can include acacia, gardenia, jasmine, lily of the valley, orange blossom, and tuberose.

‡‡The two predominant grapes in Vinho Verde are Alvarinho and Loureiro but can also include Arinto, Azal, Avesso, and Trajadura.