Author: Trisha Leigh Zeigenhorn / Source: did you know?
You wouldn’t know it these days, but the pineapple has quite a long history. It wasn’t always as readily available as it is today – at least not in Europe – and as with anything that’s both desirable and scarce, it became a symbol of wealth and status.
In 16th-18th century Europe, pineapples were so rare and expensive that they were often displayed like fine works of art.
Though it’s hard to estimate how much one whole pineapple would have cost in today’s money, guesses range between $5k-$10k – either way, a ton of cash to drop on a fruit that’s eventually going to end up in the toilet.
Why, though, was it so valuable?
The pineapple is indigenous to South America, which is where Europeans first encountered it. The European royals loved the fruit for its natural sweetness, but having them imported was hit-or-miss. Only the fastest ships (and ideal weather conditions) would deliver the fruit while still…
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