Pineapple emerges as world symbol of ‘hospitality’

Continuing to explore the development of the pineapple as the international symbol of hospitality, European explorers regularly gathered pineapples during their travels to the islands of the Caribbean Sea that began late in the 15th century.

The French are credited with declaring the pineapple as “the king of fruits,” according to journalist Beth McKibben of Atlanta, Ga., a regular contributor to southernkitchen.com.

“The fruit was costly cargo and often rotted in the bowels of ships during the long journey from the Caribbean islands back to Europe,” she wrote. “Eventually, sea captains discovered that the pineapples could be either candied or packed in sugar to preserve them.”

“The story of how the pineapple became a symbol of hospitality is deeply rooted in the history of New England,” McKibben said. “In the olden days, sea captains from the New England colonies, upon returning from voyages in the Caribbean, would stake a pineapple on their fence post.”

“This was a sign to the townspeople that the captain had returned home safely from sea. The pineapple served as an invitation for friends and neighbors to visit, share meals and listen to tales of the captain’s adventures at sea.”

“Also, pineapples carved into bedposts were a common sight at inns throughout New England,” McKibben said.

 

One of the earliest efforts to grow pineapples in the American colonies occurred at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia on the Potomac River.

In 1751, George Washington traveled to Barbados, at age 19, accompanying his elder half-brother, Lawrence Washington, who was suffering from tuberculosis and was advised to spend the winter in the tropics.

Having tasted pineapples in Barbados, George Washington built a “pinery” when he returned to Mount Vernon.

The pinery was a heated greenhouse that enabled a grower in temperate climate zones to raise tropical fruits indoors.

“In the years just prior to the Revolutionary War, the pineapple would play another role: peacemaker between Britain and the colonies,” according to McKibben. “Virginia Gov. Norborne Berkeley, known as Lord Botetourt, ordered 65 pineapples for several banquets he hosted throughout 1770, in an attempt to keep business relations strong between the colony’s planter class and the British Crown.”

“The pineapple was meant to bridge the growing gap between the motherland and her subjects during a period of uneasy peace,” she said.

Throughout the years, other symbols also came to represent segments of the hospitality industry, reported Dean Elphick, a marketing executive at Little Hotelier, an Australian software solutions company. 

One was the lantern, indicating “warmth, comfort and guidance,” he said.

 

A lantern’s light is a welcoming sight to a traveler, serving as a beacon and offering a friendly and warm greeting. Lanterns that incorporate the shape of a pineapple are even better.

The compass is yet another symbol that is frequently used to convey “a sense of direction, guidance and hospitality,” Elphick said. “Providing guests with the information and support they need to navigate their journey” is an important element for innkeepers, he added.

 

“If you’re near the ocean, a compass could be a natural fit, as could be an anchor or a breaking wave,” Elphick noted.

We have compasses, anchors and waves in Carteret County, as well as a multitude of other seaside symbols that “connect” to the hospitality-oriented businesses.

Some that readily come to mind are: sea turtles, dolphins, blue marlins, assorted fish, sand dollars, star fish, seashells, herons, pelicans, sea gulls, other shorebirds, sea oats, fishing piers, surfboards, divers, kayaks, boats of all sizes, sunshine, sand castles, beach umbrellas, pirates, Shackleford horses and the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.