Whether a symbol of welcome, the underwater home of popular cartoon characters, or an essential component of tasty, tropical drinks, the pineapple has long had an important position in popular culture. The pineapple has had a long and storied history, beginning in South America. Initially discovered in Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay, the pineapple soon spread throughout Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Philippines. Christopher Columbus is said to have taken the pineapple from South America onto his ships to prevent scurvy, and, as a result, spread the fruit around the world, until he finally brought it back to Spain with him. The Spanish then brought the fruit to what is now popularly considered its home—Hawaii. Hawaii eventually became one of the world’s major producers of this flowery fruit, but don’t be fooled; Hawaiian volcanoes are not the only backdrops for their cultivation. Extensive greenhouse production near the volcanic ranges of Iceland was recently developed, and the world’s leading exporters of pineapples are now Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Philippines.

            What makes this fruit so desirable? Why does the whole world want a piece of this tropical pie? The pineapple is, in fact, no ordinary fruit. It isn’t even a single fruit, but rather a multiple fruit. A pineapple is a collection of flowers, each producing a small, fleshy piece of fruit that is then collected together in a mass to become what we know as a single pineapple. It is also the only fruit of its family, bromeliads, to be commercially cultivated and distributed. Not only is it exceptional and unusual, but the pineapple has culinary, cultural, and medical significance.

            Since their use as a protective measure against scurvy, pineapples have long been suspected to have medical and dietary benefits. What is the payoff to eating pineapple, you ask? Well, along with its high concentration of a number of vitamins, pineapple has been known to cure intestinal disorders, work as an anti-inflammatory agent when used topically, and induce childbirth when a baby is overdue. It could be argued, though, that the biggest advantage to eating las piñas is the delicious taste of the widely popular concoction, the piña colada.

            Enjoyed by beachgoers around the world, this icy drink has more varieties than you can count, and bartenders throughout the world have claimed to be the true inventor of the piña colada. To make this tasty drink at home, the possibilities are endless, but there is one thing that can make all the difference. Whether you use a mix or make it from scratch using one of the hundreds of recipes out there, the key to a delicious piña colada is fresh pineapple. If you use a drink mix, fresh chunks of pineapple blended in will give your drink a homemade flavor, and if you do choose to make it from scratch, pineapple chunks will give it an extra punch of that beachy, island flavor.

Check out these recipes for piña coladas made with fresh ingredients and drink mixes.