The Royal Pineapple by Susan Campbell Pineapples might instantly bring the Hawaiian Islands to mind, but they also have a very special meaning in the tropics. Beyond adding delightful flavor to so many drinks and desserts, they also represent a spirit of welcome throughout the Caribbean as a sign of hospitality recognized throughout the region.
Pineapples originated in the Brazil/Paraguay region, but they were a far cry from the delicious treat we enjoy today. Wild pineapples were small, apple-sized affairs, full of seeds and actually quite sour. But thanks to an ancient tribe called the Tupi-Guarani Indians, they were cultivated and domesticated to become larger, sweeter, and seedless hundreds of years before Columbus arrived. The Indians christened them nana meaning “excellent fruit,” and spread them throughout the region as far as the West Indies through their frequent bartering voyages in long dugout canoes. Columbus discovered pineapples in Guadeloupe in 1493, and thinking they resembled pine cones, christened them “pine of the Indies.” (The British later added the “apple” since they had few sweet fruits to compare them to.) Columbus’s crew found their new cargo to be a wonderful scurvy preventative and seasickness remedy and its high acid content made it perfect for deck scrubbing. In Renaissance Europe, once people
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got past its rough, thorny look, this exotic creation was embraced as an instant celebrity. At the time, both candies and fresh fruit were scarce and so the sweet secret of the New World became a coveted treasure, especially among European royals. Fit for kings
England’s King Charles II even asked that his portrait be painted while receiving a pineapple as a gift; it was the ultimate honor of the time. In France, Louis the XIV cut his mouth when he eagerly bit into the first unpeeled pineapple presented to him, but still ordered his gardener to find a way to grow them. As the pineapple became the favorite of European high society, taking center stage at the most fashionable and sumptuous feasts, many among the very wealthy also tried to create hothouse “pineries” to grow their very own pineapples. Needless to say, that despite their grand efforts, few were successful in their ambitious endeavor. !
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