Entertaining with THE CHARLESTON SILVER LADY

As most of us living in the South already know, the pineapple is an enduring symbol of welcome. It was first brought to the shores of Charleston and became a symbol of beauty as well as substance.  

Pineapples were first displayed by simply placing them on a simple plate to keep it from coming into contact with the table top so that acids in the fruit wouldn’t scar the wooden table. The pineapple’s beauty and scent welcomed all.

The pineapple soon found it’s way to the center of a table in the hall of many fine homes, welcoming all who entered. It was held aloft on a silver tazza, just for this purpose, or could have rested on a spike to showcase the fruit from all sides. It was also displayed in a silver epergne along with other fruits. Early pineapples were small and often displayed together for maximum impact.

Recipes including pineapple became popular. Its rare, sweet taste made it a favorite of the social elite.

This is a recipe from my Charleston aunt who made at holiday times. I would love for you to try this for your own parties and family gatherings.

Pineapple Dip

I fresh pineapple- the prettiest one you

can find 2 cups sour cream 1 cup vanilla yogurt 2 cups finely chopped pecans 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese 2 dashes cinnamon 1 cup finely chopped pineapple

Cut pineapple lengthwise right through the green top. Do a neat job as the pineapple halves will be your serving dish.

Place paper towels inside the pineapple halves for now.

Finely chop the fruit, leaving it to drain in a colander placed over a bowl to catch the juice to save for another use. Press the pineapple to get out as much juice as you can. Combine with other ingredients and place in a covered bowl and chill over night.

Spoon the mixture into the pineapple halves right before serving. In our family we always ate this with ginger snaps, but it’s good with any cracker.