Gastronomic preparations based on pineapple identified in the municipality of Lebrija, Santander, Colombia, and deconstruction of a traditional recipe

• Published in: International journal of gastronomy and food science 2022-03, Vol.27, p.100479, Article 100479
• Main Authors: López-Mejía, Natali, Morales Posada, Nelly Bibiana, Bernal Antolinez, Juan Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Deconstruction; Gold honey; Lebrija; Mojarra; Perolera; Pineapple dessert
• ISSN: 1878-450X; 1878-4518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgfs.2022.100479

Lebrija is one of the municipalities with the highest production of pineapple in Colombia. The most cultivated variety is gold honey (oro miel), and second is perolera. Even so, there is no documentary evidence showing its gastronomic uses. The objective of this research was to identify pineapple-based recipes and evaluate the effect of avant-garde techniques such as deconstruction. An ethnographic study was conducted in the municipality using the snowball method through instruments such as audiovisual-supported semi-structured interviews to identify 1) the most cultivated variety of pineapple and 2) its preparations and associated culinary techniques. Then sensory assessments were performed by 15 semi-trained people to describe the intensity of various selected sensory attributes which were used to perform an ANOVA analysis of variance in SPSS. Finally, the traditional fish-based dish wrapped in banana leaf was deconstructed. The ethnographic study showed that in rural areas, there are four traditional preparations, sugarcane juice (guarapo), jam, pineapple dessert, and mojarra (fish) filled with piña calada (pineapple confit) and wrapped in banana leaves. The latter was chosen for deconstruction, a technique through which greater intensity was obtained in sensory attributes such as the crispness and golden coloration of the skin of the fish and the soft texture of the flesh. The pungency of the fishy taste decreased. This work demonstrates that the same dish can combine a crisp ingredient and a forcemeat (farsa) to achieve a presentation radically different from the original without losing its essence. •The most cultivated pineapple varieties in Lebrija are perolera and oro miel.•Four traditional pineapple-based preparations were identified in rural areas.•Deconstruction improved texture and intensified color.•The golden honey variety of pineapple is the most cultivated and consumed.•Traditional pineapple-based preparations are not marketed in urban areas.