The Peril of Fresh-sliced Pineapple

Kim & The Boyz are all big fans of the canned pineapple available at the grocery store. Note just any variety, though – everyone’s preference is chunks packaged in natural juices.

So it was no surprise when Kim came home from a Pampered Chef party one day with a pineapple slicer. The allure was obvious - our household could now enjoy fresh-sliced pineapple whenever we wanted it. And, the tool’s ‘hoot factor’ appealed to both Number 1 son, and me.

The new slicer looked like a bigger version of our routinely-used apple slicer, and other than probably needing a little more force during slicing, no problems were anticipated in slicing the whole pineapple Kim brought home the other day.


Apples can be easily octagonalized with their slicer atop the counter. The pineapple could not. Fortunately, Daniel was willing, able, and flexible enough to handle the task once we decided it needed to be lowered for leverage.


Unfortunately, my vintage chopping block was not able to handle the strain.


In what was no surprise, failure occurred at a glue joint. Purchased new in ’86, I’m impressed the block lasted 26 years before having trouble with fresh fruit. It’s not a loss, though - I get great joy in working with wood, and own lotsa neat tools to work with the medium. The Shop’s jointer did quick work of creating new glue edges.


My first thought for glue-up was polyurethane-based Gorilla glue. I even had a new bottle waiting to be opened. But Elmer’s now offers a waterproof glue I’ve been waiting to try out.


Elmer’s Wood Glue Max appears to have some teeth – The next pineapple sliced with no problem.



My Old Hickory knife had no issues with the finish work even though it’s older than the chopping block (but not as old as the one my friend Dave uses).

Euell Gibbons once advised us, “Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible.” Hmm, I wonder if my cooking gear is up to the carving challenge…



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