PINEAPPLE WHIP
Pineapple whip! A Springfield, MO staple. My first taste of the treat occurred within days of moving to Springfield for college. Drury hosts a big fair to celebrate the start of the school year and the night always includes P-whip and fireworks. Back when I was a lil baby Marie I wouldn’t touch anything fruit-flavored but my tentative “what is it’s” were met with “oh my gosh it’s so good, it’s PINEAPPLE WHIP” and it was fine! As I developed a more adventurous palate my appreciation for the sweet treat grew.
Infographic? Chic!
Here’s the 411 on P-Whip, whip de la pina, nectar of the gods, that which we call pineapple whip by any other name DOES taste as sweet. Cash only! $3! Vegan soft serve! Open seasonally! Each stand carries pineapple + a second flavor (strawberry kiwi, grape, mango peach, etc) in a traditional soft serve machine, so yes, you can get a twist. If you’ve had Dole Whip at Disney it’s pretty much the same thing. I mean, I assume. I’ve never been to Disney.
So here’s the deal. Saturday was the final day of the Pineapple Whip season. Saturday was also my bestie’s wedding, so I was conveniently in Springfield, although, you know… my friend was getting married. The matron of honor excused me from post-wedding duties (it wasn’t so much duties as it was family time) so I could run off and fulfill my fresh, fruity fortunes, and I made the most of the errand! Lo, never in my near-decade as a Springfield resident did I ever sample a different flavor…and Saturday I twisted the orig and the mango peach. It. Was. Spectacular.
Part of the charm is the simple, old-timey nature of the stands. Pineapple Whip can USUALLY be found at set locations during the season flanked by a couple picnic tables, although the booths sometimes move to visit a fest or fair. It’s cash-only and I’ve only ever seen one employee working a stand at a time. They sell t-shirts and pineapple whip, and I bought a bottle of water upon realizing I hadn’t used the bathroom (ergo, drank any water) all day. They were selling pints in every flavor to celebrate the end of the season, via a deep freeze plugged in to the back of the truck. The woman working was all smiles!
awww yeah
Here’s a fave p-whip tale. When I lived in Springfield I once got pineapple whip with my teacher besties after school. ASHLEY, aka THE BRIDE THIS WEEKEND, happened to drive by and spot us in the parking lot and pulled over to join! It brings the people together, what can I say? What’s a fave seasonal treat of yours?
