top of page

This Fruit Was Such a Large Status Symbol in 18th Century England That You Could Rent It for a Day!

Madison

This sweet, tangy tropical fruit is perhaps most known today for the controversy as to whether it should be included on pizza or not (it definitely should). Today, pineapple is easily available, but this wasn't always the case.


Food and exotic ingredients have always held a fascination. Food is needed by everyone, from the poor to the rich. For the rich, food once was often used as a sign of hospitality, a symbol of respect, and status. Exotic fruits and vegetables served at banquets and feasts automatically became a sign of power and position in the high society.



In the 18th century, the pineapple fruit was brought back by European sailors as a sign of a successful expedition and evidence of their prosperity along their journeys. It also became a decorative piece on upper-class dining tables - When you saw a pineapple on the dining table of a home, you would assume that the family had traveled to many places and were either explorers or merchants who had a lot of money to afford the exotic fruit.

The pineapple was such a strong symbol of wealth and abundance that the well-off families often rented a pineapple for a certain occasion instead of buying them at such short notice!


To have fruit on your plate that has travelled halfway around the world and is still fresh, meant wealth and power to Europeans. In 18th century England, the pineapple costed thousands of pounds. Only the wealthy and noble families of England could afford it. The pineapple would be bought, and every part of it would be used, either as food or as a display showpiece.






Comments


bottom of page