Pineapple and Cheese Sticks (aka Pineapple Express)

Oh boy! Do I have a treat for you today my friends!

You heard me talk about him on Monday, and now, he is here. On the blog. For the first time in almost 4 years. It’s about freckin time, right?

Today John – my love and my best friend – is guest posting a seriously delicious (albeit strange) recipe. It seems odd and I tease him every time he makes it, but it’s become his signature party dish. And people gobble the shit outta them. So without further ado, Dr. Ward….  (don’t let the simplicity or… ahem, uniqueness, of this dish fool you. Guy is seriously smart).

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Pineapple Express

So – you’re probably thinking of this – or maybe this if you’re meteorogically inclined. But this post is about something different; a mind-blowing party snack that will make you new friends and admirers without costing a small fortune.

I’m talking about cheese and pineapple – on a stick!!

Sounds about appealing as a slap in the face with a wet fish right? That’s where you’re wrong.

As a kid, I remember pineapple and cheese sticks being a ubiquitous party snack – particularly around Christmas. It was also the first canapé I remember consuming at weddings and funerals before I even knew what a canapé was. For the most part they were simply passed around on a giant plate, the mini-skewers littered haphazardly with no thought to presentation. Occasionally someone would go crazy and skewer each stick into a foil-covered potato, creating a cheese and pineapple “hedgehog”, and very occasionally someone would replace the potato with a real pineapple – thus elevating themselves to the level of a michelin starred chef in our eyes. Yes they were simple; but they were often the best finger-food available – and now they’re my staple appetizer to take to a pot-luck. I know that people might laugh at my contribution – which looks more like a bed of nails than food – but one bite and all those doubts disappear.

It’s an unpretentious, simple, fast and cheap appetizer to take to a party – and what it lacks in sophistication, it more than makes up for in flavour. It’s a deliciously zesty (I can’t believe I finally used that word in a sentence) yet savoury mouthful – the strong citrus flavour being the perfect foil for the sharpness of the cheese.

Be warned. They’re addictive. You may take one out of politeness – but you’ll end up going back for more (cheese breaks down to produce casomorphine when digested; a powerful and highly addictive opiate). But there is good news: pineapple contains bromelain which has a long history of use as a healing agent. So not only is it a tasty snack, it could well be beneficial for your health.

Have you ever had pineapple and cheese sticks? What’s your go to party snack?

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