On a clean surface, peel the pineapple, leaving the crown of leaves attached. Using a knife the same length as the pineapple, slice off the bottom of the pineapple. Working from the bottom to the top, cut the core from the sides, leaving 2.5 cm (1 inch) of flesh all around. Carefully make an incision at the base of the crown and cut through the top of the core (photo 1). Remove the core. It is likely the pineapple will split open slightly in a few places.