Pinuela: bromeliad fruit of southeastern Mexico

What is it?

Pinuela is one of the most characteristic and least-known wild fruits of southeastern Mexico: the fruit of a terrestrial bromeliad that grows forming dense spiny rosettes at ground level, with long, hard leaves armed with curved spines. The fruits are produced in compact bunches on a central stalk, with each fruit about four to eight centimetres long, elongated in shape, with thin yellow-orange skin when ripe, and yellow-whitish inner flesh, fibrous, juicy and sweet-and-sour, with a hard central core that is discarded. Its flavour is markedly acidic but with an underlying sweetness, with notes that combine pineapple, bitter orange and cane, making it refreshing and ideal for drinks. It is an identity ingredient of the traditional cuisine of Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca and parts of the Yucatan Peninsula, where it appears in regional markets in its season and is used in aguas frescas (the famous pinuela water), atoles, preserves in syrup, fermented alcoholic drinks and, more recently, in contemporary regional cuisine.

Origin and history

Pinuela is native to the American tropical basin, particularly southeastern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and parts of northern South America, where its use has been documented since pre-Hispanic times by the Mesoamerican peoples. The Olmecs, Totonacs, Maya and Nahuas of the lowland tropical regions knew it and used both the fruit and the fibres of the leaves and the medicinal properties of the plant. The name pinuela comes from colonial Spanish as a diminutive of pina, in reference to the botanical similarity with the pineapple (Ananas comosus), its close relative in the same Bromeliaceae family. In some regions it is also known as aguama (in southern Mexico), karatas (in the north), chiravita and other regional names. Francisco Hernandez in his Natural History of New Spain (16th century) mentions various Mesoamerican bromeliads, possibly including pinuela. It belongs to the genus Bromelia, distinct from Ananas which produces the common pineapple, although both are terrestrial fruit bromeliads. The main species of Mexican pinuela is Bromelia pinguin, also known as aguama or wild pineapple. During the 20th and 21st centuries, pinuela has maintained a central role in the traditional cuisine of southeastern Mexico without reaching the global spread of the common pineapple. CONABIO documents Bromelia pinguin as a native species of great ecological, agroforestry and cultural importance in the lowland tropical Mesoamerica.

Characteristic ingredients

Pinuela is Bromelia pinguin, a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Bromeliaceae that forms dense terrestrial rosettes up to two metres in diameter, with long leaves (up to 1.5 metres), rigid, of greyish-green colour, armed with marginal curved spines. The plant grows well in dry tropical and subtropical climates, in poor and sunny soils, which makes it common in savannas, dry deciduous forests and roadsides of southeastern Mexico. The fruits are produced once in the life of each rosette, in compact bunches on a central stalk that emerges from the centre of the leaves. To prepare, harvest the ripe fruits (when they have fully acquired the yellow-orange colour), peel off the thin skin and discard the hard central core; the flesh is extracted to prepare various preparations. The flesh contains vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, dietary fibre, antioxidants and, notably, bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme similar to that of the common pineapple that has anti-inflammatory and digestive properties. Bromelain makes fresh pinuela preparations have a slightly spicy or irritating effect in the mouth if consumed in excess, similar to unripe pineapple. The main culinary uses are: pinuela agua fresca, blended with water and sugar; traditional atoles; preserves in syrup; fermented alcoholic drinks in some regions; jams; in contemporary cuisine, sauces for meat (bromelain tenderises proteins) and signature desserts.

Cultural significance

Pinuela is part of the biocultural heritage of southeastern Mexico and an emblem of under-utilised traditional tropical cuisines. It is an identity ingredient of the cuisines of Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca and parts of Yucatan, where it appears in regional markets in its season (May to September) and forms part of the repertoire of aguas frescas, atoles and traditional preserves. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes native fruits such as pinuela among its cultural components, although it does not appear as visibly as other iconic fruits. Economically, pinuela supports rural foragers in southeastern Mexico who use the fruits of wild and semi-cultivated plants in agroforestry systems, backyards and living fences. Traditionally it has also been used as a natural living fence because of its impenetrable spiny rosettes, contributing to ecological conservation and rural economy. SADER (gob.mx) has highlighted the potential of Mesoamerican bromeliads as under-utilised crops with interest both for fruit, ornamental and living-fence purposes. In contemporary Mexican cuisine, chefs such as Margarita Carrillo Arronte and, especially, young chefs of southeastern Mexico have rediscovered pinuela, incorporating it into signature menus as one of the great forgotten fruits of the Mexican tropics, in flavoured waters, sauces, modern desserts and artisanal fermented drinks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between pinuela and the common pineapple?

Both are terrestrial fruit bromeliads but different genera. Pinuela (Bromelia pinguin) grows in terrestrial rosettes with fruits in bunches on a central stalk; it has small elongated yellow fruits, fibrous sweet-and-sour flesh, and the plant is wild or grown in backyards. The common pineapple (Ananas comosus) has a single large compound fruit on the tip of the stem, sweeter yellow flesh, and is an intensive global commercial crop. Pinuela is more acidic and intense.

What does pinuela taste like?

It has a markedly acidic flavour but with an underlying sweetness, with notes that combine green pineapple, bitter orange, sugar cane and a characteristic herbal-tropical touch. The texture of the flesh is fibrous and juicy, with the hard central core that is discarded. Because of its bromelain content, it can leave a slightly spicy or irritating sensation in the mouth if eaten raw in excess, similar to unripe green pineapple.

How is pinuela served?

Its most popular use is in pinuela agua fresca, blended with water, a little sugar and, optionally, ice. It is also prepared in traditional atoles, preserves in syrup, jams, fermented alcoholic drinks in some regions of southeastern Mexico and, in contemporary cuisine, in sauces for meat (where bromelain tenderises proteins and adds acidity) and signature desserts. In traditional medicine, the leaves and fruits are used in infusions.

Where is pinuela originally from?

It is native to the American tropical basin, particularly southeastern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and parts of northern South America, where its use has been documented since pre-Hispanic times by the Mesoamerican peoples. The name comes from colonial Spanish as a diminutive of pina. Today it grows wild and semi-cultivated in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca and parts of Yucatan, as well as throughout the American tropical region, where it forms part of shared biocultural heritage.