Welcome to the Tropics
Ananas comosus·Costa Rica
Entirely edible — core included. Sweeter, softer, lower-acid than the full-sized pineapple, and small enough that one fruit serves two people without leftovers. The crown is decorative, the flesh is dessert-grade, and the core is tender enough to eat without the wedge-and-discard ceremony.
The baby pineapple (a smaller cultivar of Ananas comosus) is grown almost exclusively in Costa Rica for the export market. Each fruit weighs around 400–600g — about a third of a standard pineapple — and the whole thing is edible, core to crown.
The sugar-to-acid ratio is the headline difference. Baby pineapples are noticeably sweeter and lower in the bromelain that makes regular pineapple bite the tongue, which means you can eat a whole one without that prickly enzyme afterglow. The core is soft enough to eat straight, no central wedge to discard.
Look for golden colour at the base and a sweet smell from the bottom of the fruit. Twist off the crown, top and tail, then either slice into rings or quarter lengthways. Eat fresh, grill briefly with rum, or blitz with lime for a 30-second sorbet. Skin not eaten.
