Kids Corner | Dole NZ Coconut Water The pineapple is native to Brazil and Paraguay, but the pineapples Dole brings into New Zealand are grown in the biggest pineapple plantation in the world, on Mindanao Island in the Philippines. Christopher Columbus found pineapples on the Caribbean island of Guadalupe in 1493. He took them to Spain where the Europeans thought the fruit resembled a pine cone. Sailors soon discovered that the fruit was great protection against scurvy - a nasty disease that affected sailors in particular. The disease was a result of a diet that lacked vitamin C. Pineapples helped because they are extremely high in this vitamin. In the Caribbean the pineapple symbolised hospitality and the Europeans who travelled there knew they were welcome if a pineapple was placed at the entrance to the village. This symbolism quickly spread through Europe where the pineapple was often carved onto bedposts or fireplaces. The pineapple has been a universal symbol of hospitality and welcome all over the world for several hundred years. Pineapples do not grow on trees. They are the fruit of a bromeliad, rising from the centre on a single spike surrounded by sword-like leaves. The pineapple plant is the only bromeliad to produce edible fruit.

Pineapples take about 18 months to grow to harvest size but can keep growing up to 7 or 8kg if allowed. The Tropical Gold pineapples that Dole brings into New Zealand have had the 'crowns' or leaves at the top of the pineapple removed. These crowns are recycled in the Philippines where the pineapples are grown. They are made into plant material used to feed and replenish the soil and some of the crowns are selected to be replanted to grow new pineapples. This is what makes them 'eco pineapples'. Pineapple is not a single fruit, but a sorosis. That means the fruit of a hundred or more separate flowers grow on the plant spike. As they grow, they swell with juice and pulp, expanding to become the fruit. The juice from the pineapple can be used to stop other fruit from going brown - like bananas or apples. It is also good in a marinade to help tenderise the meat. Don't put raw pineapple into jelly, as the bromelain enzyme in the pineapple will stop it setting.

Social History of the Pineapple SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE PINEAPPLE Being the Brief and Colorful Story of a Truly American Plant By Hoag Levins THE PINEAPPLE has served as both a food and a symbol throughout the human history of the Americas. Originally unique to the Western Hemisphere, the fruit was a culinary favorite of the fierce Carib Indians who lived on islands in the sea that still bears their name. Indian Migration The presence of pineapples on Caribbean islands was not a natural event, but rather the result of centuries of indian migration and commerce. Accomplished dugout canoe navigators, the maritime tribes explored, raided and traded across a vast expanse of tropical oceans, seas and river systems. The herbaceous plant they called "anana," or "excellent fruit," originally evolved in the inland areas of what is now Brazil and Paraguay and was widely transplanted and cultivated. Highly regarded for its intense sweetness, the "excellent fruit" was a staple of indian feasts and rites related to tribal affirmation. It was also used to produce Indian wine.

Christopher Columbus The first encounter between a European and a pineapple occurred in November, 1493, when Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the Caribbean region, lowered anchor in a cove off the lush, volcanic island of Guadaloupe and went ashore to inspect a deserted Carib village. There, amidst parrot-flecked jungle foliage and wooden pillars spiraled with serpent carvings, his crew came upon cook pots filled with human body parts. Nearby were piles of freshly gathered vegetables and fruits, including pineapples. The European sailors ate, enjoyed and recorded the curious new fruit which had an abrasive, segmented exterior like a pine cone and a firm interior pulp like an apple. Renaissance Europe The Renaissance Europe to which Columbus returned with his discoveries was a civilization largely bereft of common sweets. Sugar refined from cane was a rare commodity imported at great cost from the middle east and orient. Fresh fruit was also a rare item; orchard-grown fruit being available in only limited varieties for brief periods of time.

Pineapple: Treat of Kings In such a gastronomic milieu, reports and later samples of the New World's pineapple--whose ripe yellow pulp literally exploded natural sweetness when chewed--made the fruit an item of celebrity and curiosity for royal gourmet and horticulturist alike. Despite dogged efforts by European gardeners, it was nearly two centuries before they were able to perfect a hothouse method for growing a pineapple plant. Thus, into the 1600s, the pineapple remained so uncommon and coveted a commodity that King Charles II of England posed for an official portrait in an act then symbolic of royal privilege -- receiving a pineapple as a gift. Pineapples and Colonial America Across the ocean, the pineapple took on other symbolic meanings in England's American colonies. The colonies were then a land of small, primitive towns and settlements where homes served as the hubs of most community activity. Visiting was the primary means of entertainment, cultural intercourse and news dissemination. The concept of hospitality--the warmth, charm and style with which guests were taken into the home--was a central element of the society's daily emotional life.

Creative Food Display in Colonial America Creative food display--the main entertainment during a formal home visit--was a means by which a woman declared both her personality and her family's status. Within the bounds of their family's means, hostesses sought to outdo each other in the creation of memorable, fantasy-like dining room scenes. At such feasts, tabletops resembled small mountain ranges of tiered, pyramided and pedestaled foodstuffs often drizzled and webbed in sugar, studded with china figurines, festooned with flowers and interwoven with garlands of pine and laurel. Dinners were extravaganzas of visual delights, novel tastes, new discoveries and congenial conversation that went on for hours. Rare Pineapple: King of Colonial Fruits While fruits in general--fresh, dried, candied and jellied--were the major attractions of the community's appetite and dining practices, the pineapple was the true celebrity. Its rarity, expense, reputation and striking visual attractiveness made it the ultimate exotic fruit. It was the pineapple that came to literally crown the most important feasts: often held aloft on special pedestals as the pinnacle of the table's central food mound.

The Colonial Pineapple Trade Ships brought in preserved pineapples from Caribbean islands as expensive sweetmeats--pineapple chunks candied, glazed and packed in sugar. The actual whole fruit was even more costly and difficult to obtain. Wooden ship travel in the tropics was hot, humid and slow, often rotting pineapple cargoes before they could be landed. Only the speediest ships and most fortuitous weather conditions could deliver ripe, wholesome pineapples to the confectionery shops of cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Annapolis and Williamsburg. A hostesses's ability to have a pineapple for an important dining event said as much about her rank as it did about her resourcefulness, given that the street trade in available fresh pineapples could be as brisk as it was bitchy. So sought after were the prickly fruits that colonial confectioners sometimes rented them to households by the day. Later, the same fruit was sold to other, more affluent clients who actually ate it. As you might imagine, hostesses would have gone to great lengths to conceal the fact that the pineapple that was the visual apogee of their table display and a central topic of their guests' conversation was only rented.

Pineapple as Hospitality Symbol In larger, well-to-do homes, the dining room doors were kept closed to heighten visitors' suspense about the table being readied on the other side. At the appointed moment, and with the maximum amount of pomp and drama, the doors were flung open to reveal the evening's main event. Visitors confronted with pineapple-topped food displays felt particularly honored by a hostess who obviously spared no expense to ensure her guests' dining pleasure In this manner, the fruit which was the visual keystone of the feast naturally came to symbolize the high spirits of the social events themselves; the image of the pineapple coming to express the sense of welcome, good cheer, human warmth and family affection inherent to such gracious home gatherings. Pineapple as Artistic Motif It is hardly surprising that this communal symbol of friendship and hospitality also became a favorite motif of architects, artisans and craftsmen throughout the colonies. They announced the hospitality of a mansion with carved wood or molded mortar pineapples on its main gate posts such as those shown here at a home in historic Haddonfield, New Jersey. Photo: Hoag Levins Carved wooden pineapple gate posts at a home in Haddonfield, N.J.

They incorporated huge copper and brass pineapples in the weather vanes of their most important public buildings. They sculpted pineapples into door lintels; stenciled pineapples on walls and canvas mats; wove pineapples into tablecloths, napkins, carpets and draperies; and cast pineapples into metal hot plates. There were whole pineapples carved of wood; pineapples executed in the finest china kilns; pineapples painted onto the backs of chairs and tops of chests. Tabletop Whimsy Whimsical pineapple shapes and interpretations became a ubiquitous form for "fun" food creations and general table decorations throughout the 1700 and 1800s. There were pineapple-shaped cakes, pineapple-shaped gelatine molds, candies pressed out like small pineapples, pineapples molded of gum and sugar, pineapples made of creamed ice, cookies cut like pineapples and pineapple shapes created by arrangements of other fruits. There were also ceramic bowls formed like pineapples, fruit and sweet trays incorporating pineapple designs, and pineapple pitchers, cups and even candelabras.

During the last century, the art of food display centered around the pineapple has faded to a quaint craft now largely associated with the making of certain kinds of Christmas decorations. These holiday fabrications are one of the few vestiges of an era when all life literally revolved around the dining room table; a less complicated era that left us the enduring icon of the colonial pineapple, a truly American fruit symbolizing our founding society's abiding commitment to hospitality as well as its fondest memories of families, friends and good times. All Rights Reserved © 1995-2009, Hoag Levins The Story of the Pineapple, a Symbol of Hospitality - Chef's Blade The Story of the Pineapple, a Symbol of Hospitality by Chef Clyde Serda | Chef's Blade Pineapple is often a sign of hospitality when visiting a new place. June 24, 2009 Although it was November, the sun was still quite warm and lush green foliage seemed to come the out to the waters edge of this Caribbean volcanic island now known as Guadalupe. It was 1493 and Christopher Columbus had arrived from Spain on his second voyage to the new world.

His small flotilla of ships dropped their anchors and lowered their boats where both sailors and soldiers landed. His landing party ventured inland and came across what they thought to be a deserted Carib Indian village. In the village, there were serpents inscribed on wooden pillars and thatched huts. Outside the huts were clay pots. Along with the pots were freshly gathered vegetables and fruits, one of which was the “anana” the Carib word for (excellent fruit), by the way the word Carib meant cannibal. The European sailors enjoyed the sweet flavor and juiciness of the fruit. Colombus recorded it in his log as looking like a pine cone with the sweet flavor and firmness of an apple. But, this fruit, which we now call the pineapple, did not have its origin on this island. The Caribs were masters of the dug-out canoe and navigated their way along the tropical oceans, open seas and river systems, raiding and trading. They brought pineapples back with them from the inland basin of Brazil and Paraguay. Soon, the pineapple was widely transplanted and cultivated throughout the islands and into what is now Mexico.

Not only was Columbus intent on finding gold and riches to return to Spain, but, he was also looking for food which could be shipped or grown in Europe, especially very sweet crops. Although they had refined sugar which was imported from the Middle East or Asia overland, the price was extremely high. It didn’t take very long for the pineapple’s natural sweetness to find favor in the royal court and circles in Europe. However, European gardeners found that pineapple was nearly impossible to grow. Since pineapples are best when picked ripe, but lacking refrigeration meant spoilage. It was nearly two centuries later that gardeners successfully grew a pineapple in a hothouse. The was still not enough of the tropical treasure to go around. King Charles II of England posed for an official portrait of him receiving a pineapple. The pineapple had become the symbol of royal privilege. In the American colonies of England, fresh, dried, and candied fruits were largely used as a dessert. Because the ships en route to our eastern coast were subject to weather conditions and were only driven by wind, the actual whole fruit was difficult to get. It mainly arrived packed in sugar, syrup, or candied.

When whole pineapples were obtained, they usually went to the bakeshops of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and other large cities. The bakers usually knew who was having a dinner party or event and would sometimes rent out the whole pineapple for the day for a healthy price. It was usually placed as a centerpiece above the desserts or on a pillar trying to hide the fact that is was rented. More affluent clients of the bake shop would actually be sold the same rented fruit to carve and share with their guests. Any guest who was invited to a party where a whole pineapple was displayed, knew that no expense was spared in guaranteeing the guests’ enjoyment. It was this that made the crowned fruit the high symbol of social events and became the meaning of welcome, friendship, and hospitality. Back in Americans, the Native Americans would place a pineapple outside their hut if they were receiving visitors. Even today, in many hotels and inns, you will see a pineapple carved on a sign outside the establishments. A carved pineapple or a facsimile of one can be found carved in head-boards, on bed posters, or armoires.

In dining rooms, pineapples can be found on the backs of chairs, on wallpaper, cupboard doors, and woven dining linen. Casts in the shape of pineapples were used as hot plates or on the end of silverware, all to impress upon their guests that they were welcomed. The history of canned pineapple begins in the 1800’s when vast amounts of pineapples were being shipped from Hawaii to California, but even with the improved sailing ships, spoilage was a problem. In 1892, Captain John Kidwell, an English horticulturist, was the first to commercially can pineapple. However, the United States had placed a high tariff on imported fruits and it made it almost impossible to sell his product for a profit and subsequently, he closed his canning operation in 1898. With Hawaiian Kingdom becoming a Territory of the United States in 1898, the tariff on fresh and canned pineapple was lifted. With the groundwork of the pineapple canning industry already laid out, it was very easy to tool up again, and canned pineapple soon appeared on the shelves of America. In 1900, Jim Dole purchased 61 acres of land to grow pineapples.

In 1903, the Dole Company produced almost 1900 cases of pineapple in its first year, even though it was still a difficult business. In 1913, the most important invention to the canning industry was introduced, the “Ginaca Machine”. This machine was designed and built by the Dole engineer Henry Ginaca. The Ginaca could remove the shell or outer skin of the pineapple, core and cut off both ends in less than 30 seconds! With the new way of processing, it was possible for Jim Dole to produce one million cans in 1918. Pineapple is now shipped in cans all over the world; only small improvements of the original Ginaca Machine have been made; it is still used to process pineapple worldwide. Canned pineapple is either packed in heavy syrup or water. The pineapple seems to be one of God’s little jokes. Looking at it, one thinks of it as a whole fruit, but it is really a collection of little berries, which have fused together. It contains the enzyme, bromelin, which can digest a thousand times its own weight in protein.

It was believed that by eating only pineapple, the bromelin would attack the body fat and melt your pounds away, but, the Beverley Hills Diet of the early 1980’s, at it was dubbed, didn’t work and actually caused harmful health side effects. The pineapple grows in the center of a bromelin shrub with sharp spear shaped leaves; at the base several smaller pineapple may emerge. These are removed an transplanted for future crops. When picking a pineapple at the market, one should look at the firmness. Of course, you don’t want one with an obvious bruise or softness to the flesh, but the color should be slightly golden or yellow. If it still is pretty green, allow it to sit on you kitchen counter for a couple of days, since a pineapple will not get any sweet after it is harvested, the peek months of harvest are March thru June. In the commercial kitchen, pineapple should not be refrigerated. Also, the leaves of the crown should be crisp and green and not shriveled or brown. It should also have some give when flexed back and forth.

The bottom, which is the sweetest part, should have a pineapple scent to it and give just a little when pressed with the thumb, making sure that there are no soft spots. Most pineapples weigh about two pounds, but there are dwarf varieties available. Although, there is only about a 52% yield of usable flesh with the refuse of crown, shell or skin and core. There is usually enough for any dish. My favorite pineapple if you can find it, is the “Maui Gold”; its sweetness is unsurpassed, almost honey like, a few other producers have gold in their name, but if your pineapple isn’t from Maui, Hawaii, it’s not the real deal. I remember having a fermented pineapple drink called (tapache, ta-pa-shay). It was made from the skins and cores of pineapples and some sugar cane in water, which was allowed to naturally ferment, using the natural yeast of the air to begin fermentation. After several days, the bubbly froth at the top of the pot is scraped off and it is strained and served cold. I have got to say it had the flavor of rotten pineapples, but had one hell of a kick to it.

Pineapple is used in so many ways around the world from China to the Philippines, Southern African cuisine, to Mexican fare. Try it fresh or canned. PINEAPPLES: SYMBOLS OF WELCOME & WEALTH (ALSO, DELICIOUS) | ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO PINEAPPLES: SYMBOLS OF WELCOME & WEALTH (ALSO, DELICIOUS) by Rolling Harbour PINEAPPLES – A SHORT BUT FRUITY HISTORY This post is intended in part as a celebration of passing the 50,000 hits mark today. So much interest in the wildlife of one small island – thanks to all those who have visited during the last year or so The first image below is of the handsome locally hand-carved pineapple that surmounts the roof of the Delphi Club, Abaco. The fruit lost a few leaves in Hurricane Irene last August, which scored a direct hit on the Club.

As posted on the ABACO FACTS page (under RANDOM main menu) “the precise Longitude & Latitude coordinates of the Pineapple [on] the Delphi Club roof are respectively –77.1787834167480 & 26.20450323936187 “. But why is it there? Time for a Short Voyage around the Pineapple… PINEAPPLE FACTS TO ENLIVEN YOUR CONVERSATION HISTORICAL & SOCIAL CONTEXT Brought back to Europe by Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his return from his second voyage Taken on long voyages as a protection against scurvy and because of its long life By the c17 royalty & aristocracy grew them in hot-houses (or rather, their gardeners did). King Charles II tried one, an event so important it was recorded by the Court painter Hendrik Danckerts By c18 considered a great delicacy and a status symbol of wealth, often the centre-piece of a feast. If you couldn’t afford to buy one, you could rent one and return it afterwards. Someone richer than you would then buy it.

Pineapples were grown in pits of fermenting manure. In England Queen Victoria was not amused and soon put an end to that unpleasant nonsense In the c19 pineapples were one of the most significant exports from Abaco The Earl of Dunmore built a huge pineapple folly in Scotland in 1761, which you can stay in (We have. It’s a lot of fun) CULTURAL SYMBOLISM Pineapples symbolise welcome and hospitality, placed at the entrance to villages or plantations. The tradition spread to Europe where they were carved as gateposts; staircase finials; and incorporated into wooden furniture (including bedposts at the Delphi Club) Seafarers put pineapples outside their homes on their return to show that they were back from their travels and ‘at home’ to visitors An expensive fruit to grow & to transport; remained a luxury until the arrival of steamships Their costliness made them status symbols / indicators of wealth and rank.

Displaying or serving pineapple showed that guests were honoured In the 1920s the grandest dinners apparently needed both “a pineapple and Lady Curzon” (I have been asked whether this is Interwar Period code for some sort of disreputable activity… I need to check) The future Queen Elizabeth was sent 500 cases of canned pineapple as a wedding present from Australia.

She asked them “Hev you come far?” Prince Phillip’s reaction was – apart from the word ‘pineapple’ – unprintable In the play Abigail’s Party (Mike Leigh) pineapple chunks on cocktail sticks were used as a plot device to highlight the desperate social ambitions of a hellish hostess trying to impress & outclass her guests A 1930s ad promised that by baking a pineapple pie a wife would make her man “smack his lips in real he-man enjoyment” (NB This may not work so well in the 2010s) By Appointment to HM the Queen ARTS & CRAFTS Used on Wedgwood pottery designs as early as the 1760s; others soon followed suit Became widely used decoratively as a motif for gateposts, weather vanes, door lintels, wallpaper, table linen & curtains, and incorporated into furniture Featured in still life paintings as a crowning example of opulence 1000+ images about Pineapple - The Symbol of Hospitality & Tourism on Pinterest | Ontario, Pineapple wallpaper and A symbol The pineapple, a universal symbol of hospitality and warm welcome, works perfectly for those outdoor entertainment areas that need to incorporate intrigue, style and a outdoorsy feel

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See More Hawaiian Jewelry And Gift Facts - Hawaii Pineapple HAWAII PINEAPPLE History of the Hawaiian Pineapple When you think of pineapples, you think of Hawaii. So close has the association become that most people assume that the plant is native to the islands. In fact, pineapples originated in South America and probably did not reach Hawaii until early in the 19th century-the first record of their existence there is dated January 21, 1813. Don Francisco de Paula y Marin, a Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha of Hawaii, brought the famous fruits back with him to Hawaii, after Spanish and European voyagers had introduced the pineapple to much of the world. The local name for the pineapple plant and the pineapple in the Hawaiian language is “hala kahiki” which means "plant of Tahiti". But in the ancient language of the Hawaiian islands, all foreign lands were once called "Tahiti." It is known that Spanish sailors carried the fruit as the English carried limes, to avert scurvy, and that they left the leafy crowns to take root on many Pacific islands. But the Spaniards never reached Hawaii.

However the introduction occurred, the pineapple is now one of Hawaii's major crops, as well as the best-known symbol of the islands. In fact, it is such a well known symbol of Hawaii, that its likeness is used on multitude of Hawaiian jewelry and Hawaiian gift items sold on the Hawaiian islands. Pineapples were sold canned by 1892. Pineapple cultivation by U.S. companies began in the early 1900s on Hawaii, after an entrepreneur named James Dole started a pineapple plantation in Hawaii in the year 1900. The companies Dole and Del Monte began growing pineapple on the island of Oahu in 1901 and 1917, respectively. Maui Pineapple Company began pineapple cultivation on the island of Maui in 1909. by the 1920s, the pineapple was Hawaii's largest industry, and, until recently, Hawaii was the world's largest producer of canned pineapples. In 2006, Del Monte announced its withdrawal from pineapple cultivation in Hawaii, leaving only Dole and Maui Pineapple Company in Hawaii as the USA’s largest growers of pineapples.

Maui Pineapple Company markets its Maui Gold brand of pineapple and Dole markets its Hawaii Gold brand of pineapple. Symbolism of the Hawaiian Pineapple Due to its seemingly exotic qualities and rareness, the pineapple soon became a symbol of hospitality in early America. Because trade routes between America and Caribbean islands were often slow and perilous, it was considered a significant achievement for a host to procure a ripe pineapple for guests. Similarly, some accounts tell of New England sea captains who, upon returning from trade routes in the Caribbean or Pacific, would place a pineapple outside their homes as a symbol of a safe return. Due to its association with warmth and friendliness, pineapples in America were often used as the “crowning” piece in large displays of food. Similarly, the pineapple symbol was used frequently in the 18th and 19th centuries to decorate bed posts, tablecloths, napkins—anything associated with welcoming guests. Today, the pineapple remains a fitting symbol for the hospitality industry, and pineapple-themed products still abound.

From pineapple jewelry such as pineapple pendants and silver pineapples to pineapple decor such as pineapple shaped wood boxes and pineapple design table lamps, the Hawaiian pineapple motif says to the world: "Welcome!" The Use of the Pineapple In Decorating: Even today, Americans continue to show interest in decorating the home with pineapple designs. Not only are pineapple designs prevalent in the home in places like the foyer and living areas as well as kitchen, they are also visibly displayed in the form of pineapple finials on gateposts or as fountains for the garden. The use of pineapple plaques highlighted with the warm, inviting words “Welcome to our Home” has become a common sight. No one can dispute the historical, social and economic impact of the pineapple fruit and its relevance to the spirit of hospitality for which the people of Hawaii are known. While the production of pineapples have fueled the economies for the states of Florida and Hawaii, the symbolic designs and good looks of the pineapple has also led to much inspiration in decorating concepts and designs using unique pineapple themed accessories for the home and garden.

The pineapple also continues to inspire the hospitality industry in many of these states which were responsible for providing this fruit to the rest of the Americas, highlighting the deep meaning attached to the symbol of the pineapple. Email Address: 1000+ images about Pineapples...Southern Hospitality on Pinterest | Tropical kitchen, Charleston SC and Collections inc Ship captains would sail into Charleston and place a pineapple on their wrought iron fence to signify they were home and welcoming visitors to see the wares from their travels. The pineapple became a welcome symbol of hospitality. See More The Pineapple is a Traditional American Symbol of Hospitality | Philippines The Pineapple is a Traditional American Symbol of Hospitality Read on Scribd mobile: iPhone , iPad and Android . Copyright: © All Rights Reserved This action might not be possible to undo. Are you sure you want to continue? CANCEL We've moved you to where you read on your other device. Get the full title to continue Get the full title to continue reading from where you left off, or restart the preview.

Restart preview Decorations - The Pineapple in Colonial Williamsburg : The Colonial Williamsburg Official History Site History : Decorations - The Pineapple in Colonial Williamsburg The Pineapple in Colonial Williamsburg Decorating with pineapples No one knows for certain exactly how the pineapple became an essential element in the Christmas decorations of Colonial Williamsburg, but a look at the history of the sweet fruit provides an educated guess and a likely answer. Native South American plant The pineapple is native to South America and was likely imported to the Caribbean by native tribes, who brought the sweet fruit with them and transplanted it on several islands. Spanish explorers record finding the fruit and marveling at its sweetness in the 16th century. The Dutch took the plant to Surinam, where they cultivated it and eventually took it to Holland to try to grow it in greenhouses. In the 18th century, the British attempted to grow the tropical plant in specially built hothouses. Because the exterior of the fruit resembled the pine cone, and the sweet fruit was similar to the texture and taste of an apple, the name was changed from its original “anana” to pineapple.

Although we usually associate the pineapple with Hawaii, it is not native to those islands either, having been transplanted there from Jamaica by the British in 1886, a full 200 years after the fruit had been cultivated and consumed in Europe. Christian and imperial significance Each pineapple plant gives its own life to produce a single fruit, and since 1681, the pineapple has been recognized as a Christian symbol. Around this time, Christopher Wren began using pineapple finials on churches. The pine cone has a long-held imperial significance. The Romans placed pine cones on their buildings and monuments to symbolize confidence in the administrative, judicial, and defensive power of the state, possibly following the practice of the Babylonians. Thus the use of pineapples on Wren's great public buildings may mimic the pine cones on Roman buildings, with the added luster of English colonial power. Pine cones are also a mechanism for displaying and spreading seeds, and thus bring to mind fertility, a valuable characteristic for any society, and certainly for an empire. Shipments from Barbados and Bermuda to London As the pineapple was making its way into Anglo-American culture, Captain Richard Ligon boarded the ship Achillis bound for the West Indies from London.

In 1657, he published an account of his travels, including a history of the Island of Barbados. He devoted three pages to the pineapple. Diaries from the period mention gifts of pineapples presented to the king. And ships' manifests from the late 17th century contain lists of pineapples making their way from Barbados and Bermuda to England, often rotten upon arrival. The sweetness and unusual appearance of the pineapple and its association with fertility and agriculture made it a sought-after delicacy in colonial America. When it was served to guests, they were naturally flattered at the honor, and thus may have evolved the idea that the pineapple was considered a sign of the highest form of hospitality. Subject of artists The fruit became the subject of artists, and in 1661, it became an integral part of the coat of arms for the colony of Jamaica – a silver shield with a red cross and five golden pineapples adorning it. An Arawak woman supports the arms on the left, and she is holding a basket of fruit, including the pineapple.

The fruit was again and again imprinted, impressed, painted onto or sculpted into all manner of objects, buildings, wallpaper, fabric, dishes, and mementoes. Foundation collections include numerous items with pineapple motif The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's collections include a glazed earthen jelly mold with an impression of a pineapple on top, made around 1780, and a multi-tiered silver dessert tray with a large cast pineapple under a pagoda roof made in 1763. A tall clock made in Pulaski County, Va., in 1809 includes an inlaid pineapple 10 inches high made of mahogany, cherry, and pine. In the Louvre in Paris, a collection of 18th-century snuff boxes made in Dresden includes one with a top with a green and yellow pineapple in a field of other tropical fruits. In Williamsburg, archaeologists found large shards of Wedgwood pineapple ware similar to the "green and gold glaze" tea, cream, and sugar set now on display in the DeWitt Wallace Museum of Decorative Arts.

Pineapple ware was popular for a short time in England in the 1760s, but by 1770 Josiah Wedgwood expressed relief that his overstocks had been sent to the colonies. But in Virginia, a century of devotion to the pineapple would not be eclipsed until the decorative arts of the Federal period began to displace natural forms in favor of Greek and Egyptian motifs. Pineapple in colonial architecture No one was a bigger fan of the pineapple than Virginia's William Byrd. For the James River door next to his impressive home at Westover, in 1730 Byrd ordered a carved door-surround from London. It featured a broken-scroll pediment with a pineapple in its center. Across the river from Westover, Brandon Plantation in Prince George County has a pineapple on the pinnacle of its pyramidal roof. Developed from a 1616 patent covering 7,000 acres on the James River, the site had a long and profitable trade connection with the West Indies, hence the prominence of the tropical pineapple. Shirley Plantation, begun in 1725, has a geometric pineapple at the apex of its roof.

Inside, two doorways feature pineapple woodwork dating from 1771. Over the bedroom door leading to the entry hall is a high-relief pineapple set inside a split pediment. And over the parlor door, is a pineapple between the volutes of a broken scroll. On the dining room mantle rests a silver tea caddy made in London in 1787. Its finial is an ivory pineapple with a little silver crown on top. Lord Dunmore and the pineapple Scotland's relationship with the pineapple may have evolved because of the fruit's pointed similarity to the thistle. Pineapples were grown in Scotland as early as 1732. But the laurels for creating the largest and most enduring pineapple fall to Scotsman John Murray, Lord Dunmore, the last colonial governor of Virginia. At his estate near Airth he constructed a formal garden and garden house, which he transformed into an architectural folly – a 37-foot tall pineapple. Pineapples today Thus, by the time Colonial Williamsburg began decorating with fresh greenery and fruit in the 1930s, the pineapple was already a well established design element in architecture, ceramics, and art.

It only stands to reason, then, that beautiful fresh pineapples would become the centerpiece for the creative decorations for which Colonial Williamsburg is known today. Information for the following story excerpted from “The Hospitable Pineapple” by Michael Olmert, originally published in the Winter 1997-98 edition of the Foundation's journal, “Colonial Williamsburg.”. Read more articles from the Foundation's journal, “ Colonial Williamsburg ”. The Hidden History of the Housewarming Pineapple | Atlas Obscura The Hidden History of the Housewarming Pineapple Please separate multiple addresses with commas. We won't share addresses with third parties. Subscribe me to the Get our latest, delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter . Subscribe to our newsletter and get our latest, sent right to your inbox. Subscribe Thanks for subscribing! Related Stories Exploring America's Largest Collection of Early Tavern Signs Found: An Ancient Groundcherry That Proves Nightshades Are Older Than We Think Is There Such a Thing as Too Many Blueberries? One of the grander uses of a pineapple motif, at Dunmore House in Scotland.

(Photo: Otter/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 3.0 ) If you were rich 1700s nobleman, had a dinner table, and wanted to impress your fellow gentry, a pineapple would sure as hell be the way to go. Indeed, if you find yourself at an old inn or perhaps even a new, trendy hotel, there will likely be a picture of a pineapple somewhere near you. It is a near-universal symbol of hospitality. But why? Thanks to centuries of pillaging and colonizing, the pineapple has traveled far and wide and come to represent something more than tasty fruit. Beyond merely being a symbol of welcoming, it has dark imperial roots to show. A vintage illustration of a pineapple. (Photo: ArtsCult.com/flickr ) Up until the 15th century, pineapples were not known by the Western world. In South American countries like Brazil, they were grown and enjoyed by the locals, but few others outside these countries knew of the pineapple’s existence. Historical accounts claim that Christopher Columbus was the first European to come face to face with the fruit during his second voyage in 1493, when he and his crew found a Caribbean village that ate pineapple.

They tried it and reportedly liked it quite a bit, deciding to bring it back to their European home. The very concept of pineapples equating to hospitality, in fact, comes from these Caribbean trips, according to the World Encyclopedia of Food. Imperial travelers would go to these remote islands, and discovered that natives who hung the fruit in front of their entrances were welcoming to strangers. A 1675 painting by Hendrik Danckerts, showung Charles II presented with the first pineapple grown in England. (Photo: Public Domain/WikiCommons ) Thanks to their presence in front of villages and local huts, once they reached Europe pineapples became widely considered a gentry symbol of hospitality. The concept travelled to America too, where colonial houses began showcasing the pineapple’s image in common areas. Plantations took up the trend and started carving pineapple-like shapes into columns at their entrances. This, in fact, became a well-known addition to entrance architecture. The European bastardization of the pineapple symbol, however, meant more than just hospitality—it meant prestige. The richest of the rich bought these fruits, however expensive to show off to other their ability to have them.

Since demand relied on the few shipments between the far-off continents, supply would often be scarce. This led to a brand new pineapple rental market taking the European gentry by storm, writes historian Mary V. Thompson. Although, by the 1700s, Europeans started growing them in their own hothouses. A pineapple adorns the front steps to a house in Greenwich Village, New York. (Photo: Spencer Means/flickr ) All the same, pineapples were considered an extravagance at the time. In America, one pineapple could be sold for as much as the equivalent of $8000, according to Mental Floss . Back in Europe the price was no less excessive, says the BBC , with a pineapple’s value reaching as much as the equivalent of £5,000. It became a trend for hostesses to show off the large spiny things in parlors and dining rooms. Today pineapples are everywhere. But they’ve come to represent more than just exotic fruit. During the Napoleonic Era, political cartoonists would put pineapples in to represent extravagance. In the 1600s the Christian church adopted the symbol, as architect Christopher Wren began fitting them on church finials.

Pineapples remain a mainstay in the hospitality industry. The very first words of the hospitality handbook Welcome to Hospitality: An Introduction plainly claim that the “universal symbol for hospitality is the pineapple.” Colonial houses still have pictures of pineapples throughout the rooms, and hotels continue to show them off. In fact, the Maxwell Hotel in Seattle uses the pineapple as its very logo. The symbol persists as a homage to past table centerpieces and a relic of the colonial lifestyle. Pineapples at the entrance of Simmons-Edwards House in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo: Spencer Means/flickr ) Despite this, the austere pineapple appeal has softened. Beyond a more abundant supply of the fruit, more people began adopting its aesthetic. Sailors, for instance, would bring the fruit home from their travels and place them on their home’s gateposts as a sign of welcoming. This, writes historian Nicola Cornick , led to the pineapple signifying “a sense of welcome, good cheer, warmth and celebration.” The next time you take a bite out of the fruit, think of its imperial past.

What began as a treat for the rich—one which a Royal botanist described as “being so sweete in smell… tasting… as if Wine, Rosewater and Sugar were mixed together” in 1640—has become something more common and hospitable. Although if you were to ask the non-gentry their thoughts on pineapples in the 1600s, they probably wouldn’t feel so welcome.

Question: Which fruit is often carved onto gateposts as a symbol of hospitality?
Answer: Pineapple