Used To Be Equivalent To Gucci Bags, Pineapple Was Once An Emble For The Luxury Of Nobles

JAKARTA - Now pineapple is easy to find in markets or supermarkets. However, in the 17th to 18th centuries, pineapple was once the symbol of luxury and the highest social status, especially in the UK.

History records King Charles II from England receiving a pineapple brought from Barbados as a special gift. The painting by Hendrick Danckerts in 1675 depicts the moment when the royal Gardener presented pineapple to the king.

"The nationals given to Charles II were sent from Barbados," explained shot Beauman, author of The Pineapple: King of Fruits (2005), quoted from the CNN page.

"From the start, pineapple was immediately targeted, because the explorers wrote with great admiration, praising how delicious this fruit is," he continued.

George Washington admired the fruit. On his record of traveling to Barbados in 1751, he wrote "There is no fruit that pleases you like pineapple".

Despite the need for a hot climate to grow, British aristocrats are still trying to cultivate pineapple by building a special greenhouse called pineries. The costs incurred are very large, even the price of one pineapple can reach 80 pounds, equivalent to Rp. 240 million in the current value.

"It costs a new horse train, the equivalent of buying a car in the Georgian era. People employ gardens who sleep in greenhouses so that pineapple plants don't catch fire," said Beauman.

Although expensive, pineapple is rarely eaten. This fruit is often used as a display on the dining table or a gift to show social status.

"Why should it be eaten? It's like eating a Gucci bag," said Beauman.

So valuable, pineapple can be rented for a party. This fruit is borrowed only to be exhibited at events, then returned. In addition, pineapple begins to appear in the design of the home architecture and furniture.

"Nanas is symmetric, easy to recognize, and decorative. Therefore, aristocrats often make it a symbol of luxury, such as pineapple statues at the gate of the house," said Beauman.

Until now, the legacy is still visible, from the 16 meter high pineapple crown at Dunmore Park, Scotland, to the pineapple ornament on the Wimbledon trophy. The exclusive status of the pineapple began to fade in the 1820s when this fruit was mass imported to the UK.

"In 1850, about 200 thousand pineapple were dismantled annually at the London pier," explained Beauman.

With the technology of cooling and canning, pineapple is finally a fruit that is easy to find. However, his luxurious charm remains imprinted.

Charles Dickens in the novel David Copperfield (1850) wrote that his main character often walks to Covent Garden just to look at the pineapple, as if the fruit represents a world full of luxury that is hard to reach.

"For a child in 1850, pineapple is still a window into an unforgettable world of luxury." concluded Beauman.