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This Tropical Fruit Has a Long History of Hospitality

If you’ve seen the television show Sanditon (based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel of the same name), you may remember a scene in which a pineapple is sliced at a dinner party with great fanfare – and the horrible reaction when it’s revealed that it had rotted inside. The pineapple’s initial impressiveness and its rotten state were brought on by the same factor: that it took a really long time to bring the tropical fruit to England.

As with so many historical status symbols, rarity made the exotic pineapple a sign of luxury. In fact, for a while the fruit was so rare that most people wouldn’t eat it (which didn’t help with the rotting issue). Instead, they’d simply use it as a centerpiece, often rented for an event from the fruit’s owner. Whether used as a centerpiece or actually served, the pineapple became associated with hospitality and sparing no expense for your guests.

That association is still strong today, with the pineapple frequently appearing in (or on) hotels, buildings, restaurants and more. Charleston, South Carolina’s famous Pineapple Fountain is used as a symbol of the city’s notable southern hospitality, and gilded pineapples adorn the towers of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Around the world, the queen of fruits is known as a sign of warmth and welcome.