介紹下香港既特色美食------菠蘿包

A pineapple bun is a kind of pastry that is popular in Hong Kong, and some other areas in southern China. It is known in Cantonese Chinese as bo lo baau , in which "bo lo" means "pineapple", and "baau" refers to a kind of bun-like item in Chinese cuisine.

Although the pastry is known as "pineapple bun", the traditional version contains no pineapple. The name "pineapple bun" actually originated from the fact that the checkered top of the pastry looks like the epicarp of a pineapple. It is very similar to the Japanese melonpan in its manner of cooking and in the fact that it is named according to its shape. Ironically, it is possible to order a pineapple pineapple bun, which is a pineapple bun that is actually stuffed with pineapple.

Variant
Many Hong Kong restaurants, such as cha chaan tengs and dai pai dongs, offer an item called a "buttered pineapple bun", which is a pineapple bun with a piece of butter stuffed inside. They are known in Cantonese as bo lo yau (菠蘿油), in which "bo lo " means "pineapple," and "'yau'" (oil) refers to butter. This item is sometimes criticised for containing too much fat and cholesterol. The top of the pineapple bun the part which resembles a pineapple is crunchy and is quite sweet compared to the bread underneath. The bread is soft and more sweet than typical western bread.


Popular culture
The main character, McDull, in the Hong Kong cartoon film McDull, Prince de la Bun is often seen with a pineapple bun.
In 2005, "Pineapple Bun" was nominated as a potential typhoon name but was rejected. The director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Lam Chiu Ying, as one of the judges for the naming process, commented: "If we say XX country is being ravaged by Pineapple Bun, that would be too hilarious."

菠蘿包是源自香港的一種甜味麵包，據說是因為菠蘿包經烘焙過後表面金黃色、凹凸的脆皮狀似菠蘿（即鳳梨）因而得名。

菠蘿包實際上並沒有菠蘿的成份，麵包中間亦沒有餡料。菠蘿包據傳是因為早年香港人對原來的包子不滿足，認為味道不足，因此在包子上加上砂糖等甜味餡料而成。菠蘿包外層表面的的脆皮，一般由砂糖、雞蛋、麵粉與豬油烘製而成，是菠蘿包的靈魂，為平凡的麵包加上了口感，以熱食為佳。酥皮要做得香脆甜美，而包身則是軟身才好吃。外形亦與日本的蜜瓜包(en:Melonpan)及香港的墨西哥包相似。

菠蘿包是香港最普遍的麵包之一，差不多每一間香港的餅店(麵包店)都有售賣菠蘿包，而不少茶餐廳與冰室亦有供應。一般作為早餐或點心食用居多。菠蘿包售價亦相當便宜，一般約港幣$1.5至$4不等，深受香港人歡迎。而除了在香港外，在南中國地區亦甚為普遍。

菠蘿包由於熱量、脂肪與膽固醇含量較高，曾被香港專家定為「十大不良零食」。


菠蘿油是從菠蘿包發展而來的食品，是將菠蘿包橫向切開夾著一塊厚切的牛油（或奶油）所組成。菠蘿油最好的吃法是將新鮮出爐的菠蘿包夾上冰冷的牛油，這樣牛油就會被菠蘿包的熱力影響而溶化在包身的中間位置，包身會被溶化的牛油變成金黃色，而食用時菠蘿油與菠蘿包不同之處是能夠吃出濃厚的牛油的香味。但由於加上了牛油，所以菠蘿油比菠蘿包的脂肪與膽固醇含量更要高一些。

香港很多茶餐廳都會供應這種食品搭配奶茶作為下午茶餐或早餐。

不少香港電影、電視劇中也有菠蘿包及菠蘿油的出現，例子有本地動畫《麥兜菠蘿油王子》，以「菠蘿油王子」作為麥兜父親麥炳的綽號。

其他變化
個別餅店或茶餐廳在菠蘿包上加上變化，創製了特色的新口味，如午餐肉菠蘿包、迷你菠蘿包、奶黃菠蘿包、紫菜菠蘿包、紅豆菠蘿包、椰絲菠蘿包及叉燒菠蘿包等，甚至還有真正有菠蘿蓉餡料的菠蘿包。

2007-03-10 10:48:28 補充：
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