Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Princess Of Fruits Welcomes You

I love fresh pineapple, and just bought one today to enjoy this week. When I lived in Old Town Alexandria, in Virginia, the pineapple was everywhere - on clothing, in home decor, printed on stationery - supposedly a symbol of hospitality harkening back to Colonial times.

I came across this explanation online:
"The pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality since the days of the early American colonies. The legend began with the sea captains of New England, who sailed among the Caribbean Islands and returned to the colonies bearing their cargo of fruits, spices and rum.

According to the legend, the captain would spear a pineapple on a fence post outside his home to let his friends know of his safe return from sea. The pineapple was an invitation for them to visit, share his food and drink, and listen to tales of his voyage.

As the tradition grew, colonial innkeepers added the pineapple to their signs and advertisements, and bedposts carved in the shape of a pineapple were a common sight at inns across New England.

The legend has continued to the present, and frequently one sees the pineapple symbol in hotels and restaurants to signal
the presence of hospitality."

Friendly and
delicious.


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1 comment:

Angela said...

I love your blog for reasons such as this... I always learn something new. I've often wondered what the deal with pineapple decor was. And now I've got an explanation. You're the best!