The Back StoryMore:
Known as the treat of kings and as the ultimate symbol of friendship and
hospitality, pineapples have been many things to many people since
Christopher Columbus first introduced this New World delicacy to
European aristocracy. In a time when sugar refined from cane was a rare
commodity, imported at great cost from the orient and the middle-east,
the pineapple became an item of instant celebrity and curiosity, and
remained so for hundreds of years. So much so that England’s King
Charles II posed for an official portrait in an act then symbolic of
royal privilege -- receiving a pineapple as a gift.
In the
American Colonies, the pineapple symbolized something entirely
different. In a land of few settlements and primitive towns, where
people’s homes served as hubs for the community, visiting was the
primary means of entertainment. The charm, warmth and style with which
guests were taken into the home, coupled with 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 limits of their family's means, hostesses sought to outdo each
other in the creation of memorable, fantasy-like dining room scenes. In
this environment, the pineapple literally crowned the most important
feasts: often held aloft on special pedestals as the pinnacle of the
table's extravagant display. Its rarity, expense, reputation and
remarkable visual attractiveness made it the ultimate exotic fruit, and
visitors confronted with pineapple-crowned 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 centerpiece of the feast naturally came to
symbolize the high spirits of the social events themselves; the image of
the pineapple came to represent the sense of welcome, human warmth,
good cheer, and family affection inherent to such gracious home
gatherings.
Our
Mission:
All profits are donated to THE LEARNING COMMUNITY, an organization dedicated to providing families with the support they need. Why? Because parenting isn't easy. Available 24/7, www.TheLearningCommunity.us.
|
