Pineapple《菠萝的奋斗》——我是如何走向“果生”巅峰的?
看似普通的菠萝,在殖民时期的身份可是异常尊贵哦。英国国王查理二世都要和它单独“合影”呢!现在,就和小译一起来看看这究竟是怎么回事吧。
Now available in every grocery store in every state in both fresh and canned varieties, pineapples were so sought-after in colonial times that people would actually rent them for a day to use as a party decoration. Yes, at one point in history, the pineapple was literally too expensive to eat.
如今,在每一个城市,每一个杂货店,不管是新鲜的还是罐装的菠萝,人们都能随时购买到。早在殖民时期,菠萝就深受人们追捧,大家通常都会租用它们一整天来作为派对的装饰品。然而,在以前,菠萝实在是太贵了,很多人都吃不起。
Even today, fake pineapples are seen in centerpieces, while images and carvings of the fruit often appear in historic buildings. Where did the main ingredient in upside-down cake get its prestige? It all started with the age-old equation of supply and demand.
甚至是现在,关于菠萝的图像和雕刻常见于历史建筑物中,中心装饰品里也常常有假的菠萝。菠萝,作为翻转水果蛋糕中的主料,是在哪个地区率先获得如此殊荣的呢?这一切就要从历史久远的供需情况说起了。
Once the world's most exotic fruit
曾经是这世上最具异域风情的水果
Early in the colonial era, explorers (including Christopher Columbus) brought rare crops back to Europe when they returned from the “New World.” Pineapples were among those exotic imports, along with items like cane sugar and avocados.
在殖民早期,探险者(包括克里斯托弗·哥伦布)从“新大陆”返回到欧洲大陆时,带回了许多稀有的农作物。菠萝就是这些外来货品中的一种,其中还包含蔗糖和鳄梨。
But the highly perishable pineapple could not grow in European climes. Cultivation, even in the controlled environment of a “hothouse,” was extremely difficult. Still, members of the nobility liked the taste of the fruit so much that they were willing to pay a high price to get their hands on one.
但是,极易腐烂的菠萝无法在欧洲的气候环境中生长。即使是在严格控制的温室环境中,培植菠萝也是极有难度的。然而,贵族们非常喜爱菠萝的口感,即便是支付高昂的费用,他们也愿意为此买单。
The pineapple was extremely popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, and remained a symbol of wealth into the 17th century. King Charles II, who ruled England until 1685, posed with a pineapple for one of his official portraits.
在15和16世纪,菠萝非常受欢迎,到了17世纪,它成为财富的象征。查理二世作为英格兰的国王,于1685年去世退位。他的官方肖像画中就有一副是和菠萝的合影。
The spiny treat also was in demand in colonial America. George Washington praised the fruit in his diary, listing his favorite foods and then saying that “none pleases my tastes” like the pineapple.
在美洲殖民地,带刺的菠萝也同样深受人们喜爱。乔治·华盛顿在日记中罗列了他喜欢的食物,然后深深地赞美了菠萝,他说道,除了菠萝,“任何水果都无法满足我的味蕾”。
From status symbol to symbol of hospitality
从身份的象征转变为热情友好的象征
What did the high demand mean for the price? In today's money, a George Washington-era pineapple would cost as much as $8,000. Similar price tags were also recorded in Europe. Because of their scarcity and price, pineapples were originally served only to most-honored guests.
高需求对于价格会产生怎样的影响呢?用现在的价格衡量,乔治·华盛顿时期的菠萝相当于现在的8000美元。当时欧洲的菠萝价格也与此类似。由于菠萝数量稀少,价格昂贵,当时它们只供应给最尊贵的客人。
That idea was translated into pineapple images so that those who could not afford the fruit itself could still share the sentiment. Towns, inns and even individual households would display images — pictures or carvings — of the fruit in order to convey a sense of welcoming. This practice was continued on dinnerware, napkins, tablecloths and even wallpaper.
菠萝的图像也渐渐被赋予了友好的含义。那些买不起菠萝的人,可以用菠萝图像来表达同样的情感。为了表达自己的热情好客,城镇、旅馆、甚至是私人的住所会展示有关菠萝的图画或者雕刻品。慢慢地,餐具、餐巾、桌布、甚至墙纸上都印上了菠萝。
That's why you often see pineapple carvings inside and outside of historic buildings such as inns or colonial-era plantation houses in the U.S. One of the more over-the-top examples of pineapple architecture is the Dunmore House, a folly in Dunmore Park, Scotland that has a roof shaped like a pineapple.
这就是为什么你经常在历史建筑物(比如美国殖民时期的房屋和旅馆)的内部和外部看到菠萝了。最极端的一个菠萝建筑是邓莫尔之家。这座装饰性建筑坐落于苏格兰的邓莫尔公园,它的整个屋顶就是菠萝的形状。
Stateside, a pineapple fountain sits in a prominent location in the Charleston, South Carolina waterfront area. Most places are much more subtle: pineapple carvings topping gateposts, at the bottom of stairway railings or above doorways.
在美国查尔斯顿港,也有一处很显眼的菠萝喷泉。大多数的建筑设计相对精巧些:在门柱的顶端、楼梯扶手的底端或者门的上方刻有菠萝。
How did the pineapple become so common?
菠萝是怎样变得普通的?
Today, the pineapple is often associated with Hawaii. The Aloha State produces one-third of the world's pineapples and 60 percent of canned pineapple products. This, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon.
如今,菠萝通常和夏威夷联系在一起。夏威夷州生产了世界上三分之一的菠萝,以及五分之三的罐装菠萝产品。不过,这种盛况也就是近年来才有的。
Pineapples originally came from South America, likely Brazil or Paraguay. They may have arrived in Hawaii by way of the West Indies, where Columbus first tasted them, as early as the 16th century. Large scale production did not begin until the late 1800s.
菠萝来源于南美地区,可能是巴西或者巴拉圭。早在16世纪,是哥伦布第一次在西印度群岛品尝了菠萝。菠萝可能是经由西印度群岛传到夏威夷的。直到19世纪晚期,大规模的菠萝生产才开始。
Nonetheless, today in America, people are likely to associate the image of pineapples with luaus, tropical cocktails and Hawaiian print shirts, not with glamorous parties.
但是在今天的美国,人们往往会把菠萝的形象和夏威夷宴会、热带鸡尾酒以及印花衬衫联系在一起,而不会再想到华丽的派对聚会了。
Pineapples still make appearances in places when a good dose of hospitality is needed. They are sometimes included in housewarming fruit baskets, for example. You can still see numerous pineapple carvings in places where historic architecture has been preserved, too.
当需要展现慷慨好客时,菠萝依旧会出现在一定的场合。比如,它们有时会出现在乔迁喜宴的水果篮子里。在受保护的历史建筑区,你同样能看到一些菠萝雕刻品。
In tourist-welcoming Charleston, for example, a former shipping center and an especially pineapple-rich city, pineapple carvings and other representations are found throughout the city.
再例如,作为船运中心的查尔斯顿对待旅客非常友好,并且富产菠萝,人们可以在这里观赏到菠萝雕刻品和代表性菠萝建筑。
And these days, if you want a taste of the real fruit, you can find them in your local market, where you won't have to spend $8,000 to get one.
现在,如果想要品尝菠萝,你随时可以在当地的超市买到,完全不需要为了买一颗菠萝而花费8000美元。
说说看
除了菠萝,你还知道哪些具有独特寓意的水果呢?快在评论区和大家分享一下吧~