This fruit was at the beginning of an arc in history during which it would become — particularly in Britain — a symbol of wealth and opulence unlike any other.
In a painting from 1675, England’s King Charles II stands on a terrace as the royal gardener kneels before him offering up a curious present. It’s one of the most desirable items of the era, representing the ultimate in luxury and prestige. Imported from a faraway land, it’s among the first of its kind to have made the journey from the New World to Britain. It’s a pineapple. Today, the exotic fruit would hardly qualify as a suitable gift for royalty.
” The construction and heating costs, as well as the time required to obtain the fruits, made a single pineapple cost up to 80 pounds, according to Beauman’s calculations — that’s almost a whopping $15,000 in today’s money. “That was about the same cost as a new stagecoach with horses — the equivalent of buying a new car in Georgian England,” she said. “People had a full-time garden boy who would sleep among the plants to make sure that they didn’t burst into flames by mistake.
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