When it comes to summer, nothing rings in the season quite like strawberries. This vintage regional recipe honors the ruby-red fruit with a quick sundae topping called Pacific Red Pineapple Sauce.
While California produces the most strawberries in the U.S., the Pacific Northwest is also a major grower. Most PNW strawberries aren’t sold fresh; they go to manufacturers for products like yogurt and ice cream. In The New York World’s Fair Cookbook: The American Kitchen, Oregon strawberries are highlighted in regional recipes. Unlike today’s California berries, bred for shipping durability, PNW strawberries are sweeter, with tender skin and a deep red interior.
Even if you can’t get authentic PNW berries, you can still recreate this sauce. In this version, sugar is reduced and lemon juice is added for brightness.
Chunks of strawberries are first mashed with sugar, then simmered with lemon and pineapple juice. After cooking for thirty minutes, the sauce can be served hot (over pancakes or French toast) or chilled (over ice cream).
The lemon balances the sweetness and enhances the fruit flavors, while the pineapple adds a subtle tropical twist. It’s perfect for summer and makes a thoughtful gift in cooler months — a jar of sunshine that can be enjoyed year-round.
Pacific Red Pineapple Sauce
Yield: About 2 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup pineapple juice
Instructions
- In a bowl, mash strawberries with sugar.
- Transfer mixture to a saucepan; add lemon juice and pineapple juice.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Serve hot over cake, brownies, pancakes, or French toast — or serve cold over ice cream.
Source: The New York World’s Fair Cookbook
Do you want me to also give you a version of this recipe with long-term canning instructions so it can be stored for months? That would make it a proper “gift jar” recipe.
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Pacific Red Pineapple Sauce
By Victoria Brittain – June 22, 2025
When it comes to summer, nothing quite rings in the season like strawberries. This recipe — a vintage regional treat — celebrates that ruby red fruit in the form of a quick sundae topping called Pacific Red Pineapple Sauce.
The Story Behind the Sauce
While California produces the largest quantity of strawberries nationwide, the Pacific Northwest is also a major strawberry-growing region. However, most of the strawberries from Washington and Oregon never appear in the produce aisle. Instead, they’re sold to food manufacturers for use in yogurts, jams, and ice creams.
This recipe comes from The New York World’s Fair Cookbook: The American Kitchen, a collection of regional recipes that highlight unique local specialties. The original version specifically called for Oregon strawberries. Unlike California strawberries — which are bred to withstand long-distance shipping and thus have a firmer texture — Pacific Northwest strawberries are known for being sweeter, with a tender skin and bright red flesh throughout.
Even if you can’t get your hands on those exact berries, the sauce can easily be recreated with any fresh, ripe strawberries. The recipe here has been lightly adapted from the original: the sugar has been reduced, and lemon juice has been added for extra brightness.
Making Pacific Red Pineapple Sauce
The process starts with chunks of fresh strawberries, which are mashed together with sugar. This helps draw out the fruit’s natural juices and kick-starts the cooking process.
The mashed strawberries are then combined with lemon juice and pineapple juice in a saucepan. The tropical pineapple blends beautifully with the berry flavor, while the lemon keeps the sauce from being overly sweet and enhances its fruitiness.
The mixture is brought to a boil, then simmered for 30 minutes, with frequent stirring to prevent scorching and to help the sauce thicken.
Serving Suggestions
This versatile sauce can be enjoyed either hot or cold:
- Hot: Pour over pancakes, waffles, French toast, pound cake, or even warm brownies.
- Cold: Chill the sauce and spoon it over vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, or yogurt.
It’s a perfect summertime topping, but it also makes a thoughtful homemade gift — a little jar of summer sunshine to brighten the colder months. Stored properly in the fridge, it will keep for about a week.
Pacific Red Pineapple Sauce — Recipe Card
Yield: About 2 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)
- 1 cup pineapple juice
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, mash the strawberries with the sugar until the fruit is broken down and juicy.
- Transfer the strawberry mixture to a medium saucepan.
- Add the lemon juice and pineapple juice.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
- Serve immediately for a warm sauce, or let cool and refrigerate for a chilled topping.
Source: The New York World’s Fair Cookbook
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