This is the single most important step, and it’s also the weirdest. You need to stick your nose right down near the bottom of the pineapple. Yes, in public. Yes, people will look. Own it. You’re a pineapple detective now.
If that pineapple smells like a tropical vacation—sweet, fragrant, like a piña colada just whispered your name—you’re on the right track. If it smells like nothing, or worse, like damp basement, put it back. That pineapple is either a rookie or a liar, and neither will serve you well in a fruit salad.
Think of it this way: a good pineapple is like a cool neighbor who waves at you. A bad one is the neighbor who leaves their trash cans out for three days and glares at your dog. Trust the smell test. It never lies.
