Pineapple Flowers

To say that I'm obsessed with these pineapple flowers is probably an understatement.

I've got to be honest, the thought of dried pineapple didn't really thrill me when I first saw this technique. 

I imagined that roasting a pineapple in the oven for 4 hours would make it chewy and rubbery and anything but appetizing.

I was sooo wrong.  (Imagine that.)  These pineapple flowers are crunchy, tasty, sweet little nuggets of deliciousness AND they make fantastic cupcake decorations.

To make pineapple flowers:
Start with a fresh pineapple.

Use a sharp knife to peel it.

 Use a paring knife to cut the eyes out of the pineapple.

Slice the pineapple THINLY and place on silpat lined baking sheets.

Bake 3-4 hours at 225.

Cool on wire racks.

So how cool are these?  Each one is different and unique - just like real flowers.  I was so fascinated by these pineapple flowers that I just couldn't stop taking pictures. 

Guess who else was impressed (or at least interested) in my pineapple flowers?

This little guy lives on my back deck and I'm convinced that he's a little foodie.  He always comes around when I'm grilling on my Big Green Egg or when I have something especially yummy smelling outside.   I need to come up with a good name for him - any suggestions?

Ciao!