Pineapple- the fruit is great, but don’t toss the peel!

I love pineapple, and enjoy it year-round, adding it to milk kefir smoothies for extra sweetness, and my kids enjoy it as a sweet snack. There are so many uses for this tropical fruit-from baked goods, to grilling it on the BBQ, and adding it to fresh salsas for an extra dimension of flavour.  But the possibilities don’t end with the fruit -before you toss the pineapple peel and core in your compost bin, try making the fermented beverage, tepache, instead.  It’s easy to make, a great alternative to kombucha, and doesn’t require any cultures to get it started.

What is Tepache?

Tepache is a fermented pineapple drink popular in Mexico.   Slightly effervescent, tepache is refreshing and cider-like with a sweet pineapple aftertaste.  It is made using water, sugar and pineapple (whole or just the rind).  Tepache is a wild ferment– the yeast and bacteria naturally present on the pineapple are responsible for the fermentation process so no additional cultures are needed.   It is also a quick ferment (4 days maximum- any longer and it will turn to vinegar).

Tepache is best served very cold, and has become a popular ingredient for cocktails (with rum, tequila, mexican beer…).  Try it today, and you’ll want to keep a bottle in the fridge for a refreshing treat on hot summer days!

 HOW TO MAKE TEPACHE

Fermentation time: 4 days

INGREDIENTS

• One ripe pineapple
• 8-10 cups of water
• 1 cup sugar (piloncillo, turbinado, brown or Sucanet)
• cinnamon stick and/or whole cloves (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and dry pineapple.  Cut off top and discard
2. Remove peel, leaving a little extra fruit on the peel.  Cut out core.  Reserve fruit to eat later.
3. Dissolve sugar in water.  Add pineapple peels and core and add more water if necessary to fully cover.  Use a fermentation weight to keep peels and core submerged under the sugar water.

   

4. Cover the top of the jar with a coffee filter or clean cloth.  Leave at room temperature for 3-4 days.  It will become cloudy and develop a harmless white foam that can be skimmed off.

   

5. Strain finished tepache into bottles and refrigerate. It will smell a little musty, but the taste will not be strong.
6. For extra fizz, do a second fermentation (closed bottle) for an extra day or 2.
7.  Tepache is best served cold.  Cheers!