Transcript of Bitesize Ep 88 - Transcript

Charlie:
Hello and welcome to another episode of the British English Podcast, where I aim to explore the rich tapestry of history, culture and language of Britain. I'm your host, Charlie, and I've got to confess, I might sound a bit different today, as I had a local anaesthetic in my mouth earlier this morning, so my left side of my face is a bit, um, droopy. Hopefully you don't notice a difference to my voice, but hopefully that won't take away from today's aim, which is to take you on a little journey inspired by something quite unexpected. And that is pineapples. That's right. Pineapples. Why? Well, I was walking around London earlier today, as one does. Living in London and listening to a podcast by Blindboy. He's not blind. It's just his stage name or podcast name. If you haven't heard of him, he delves deep into Irish mythology, culture, mental health and other fascinating topics. Well worth a listen. But what caught my attention this time was his episode about pineapples. Yes, I know what pineapples. What you see, he talked about their cultural significance in Europe and particularly in England. And I tell you what, as I continued my walk, something strange started happening. I began to see pineapples everywhere. And this wasn't the anaesthetic playing tricks on my brain. I even went up to one and touched it. I was kind of stroking this pineapple in London and just to check that I wasn't losing the plot, although in hindsight I did look like I had lost the plot in stroking a pineapple on the street.

Charlie:
But these pineapples that I was seeing were carved into stone on the roof of buildings, in shop windows, even on top of railings around impressive buildings. It was as if London itself was in on the joke with Blindboy and I, well, I was the butt of the joke, so I got home and decided to dig deeper into the historical and cultural significance of pineapples, particularly here in England. So here we are. Today's episode is all about the humble yet surprisingly symbolic pineapple. So let's start with a bit of history. The pineapple is originally from South America, Specifically the region that is now part of Brazil and Paraguay, and the indigenous people of that region cultivated pineapples long before European explorers arrived. But it wasn't until Christopher Columbus stumbled upon them in 1493, during his second voyage to the New World, that pineapples began their journey to Europe. And by the way, I have a sneaking suspicion that people oversimplify things a lot when we say that Christopher Columbus did this, Christopher Columbus did that, Christopher Columbus. I mean, he's just one man. I mean, think about, um, modern day film stars. When they win an award, they thank the whole team of people that helped build that one film, probably, like, I don't know, hundreds, thousands of people.

Charlie:
So I reckon old Chris should be spreading the gratitude and respect to other, um sailors and and travellers or adventurers of his time. And it's not like he lived in a particularly fast paced period of time either. He can't have done all of these things we attribute to him, and if he did, well, I mean, he's not alive to be offended by this comment, but we do like a name. It helps create a story in our minds. It's like, oh yes, I know what that person looks like. Okay, so he was in South America and he picked up a pineapple and sailed with it under his arm all the way back to the Queen of England. I don't know if it was a queen or a king at the time, but of course, it's not as simple as that. But, you know, we can imagine in the 16th century, the ships are returning to Europe, laden with strange and exotic goods from the Americas, and among them is the pineapple. And if you think about it, it's a rather unique looking fruit, isn't it? And it's unlike anything they will have seen before at this point in time. It's, um, it's spiky exterior and sweet, juicy interior were a revelation. I mean, chocolate was only just being discovered at this time, and it certainly wasn't as sweetened or as moreish as it is coming out of Cadbury's factories today.

Charlie:
So imagine opening up this bizarre, exotic, hard shelled fruit to then be greeted with this delightful balance of sweetness and tartness. And oh, the refreshing burst of juicy sweetness that is rich and then tangy, with a slightly acidic undertone that adds complexity and prevents the the fruit from being overly sugary. Goodness me, I really want a pineapple now, and I think pineapple should generally just sponsor this episode because I really went to town on that description. And yeah, my mouth is watering, but that could be just the drool from the half of my mouth that's still asleep. But yes, pineapples really made an impression on those who got to try them, but they were actually incredibly difficult to transport without spoiling due to their short shelf life and surprisingly fragile skin. Because, I mean, they look tough, but apparently they're easily bruised or can easily get damaged in transit. Plus, back then they had no way to refrigerate any of the goods in transit, and the distance and the time to get back to Europe could take weeks or even months. And I really can relate to this, because every now and then I buy fresh berries, replacing the frozen berries that I defrost most mornings to go on my yoghurt, and I struggle to consume the entire punnet of raspberries before they go off. I mean, I think there might be a conspiracy at play here because raspberries, they're mugging me off, I buy them and then within two days, maybe three.

Charlie:
They're like moulding and being be like, oh, don't eat me, I'm gross. But I do, just out of spite. And so, yes, I understand that these pineapples might not get from farm to table in a good condition because, you know, they've got to take on the Atlantic before arriving at the Englishman's table. And because of this, pineapples became extremely rare. And what happens when humans love something but can't get much of it? Prices get hiked up and it becomes bloody expensive. And when something's expensive, we attach status. In fact, pineapples became so synonymous with wealth and luxury that they were often used as centrepieces at lavish banquets. If you think about the pictures that you might see, or the paintings that you might see in museums of big banquets, there's probably often a pineapple in the middle. And this was purely for a display of affluence. But it didn't stop there, people. People would go so far as to rent pineapples just to display them in their homes, or even get this. This is crazy. Carry them around with them by their side as part of like their their getup or their outfit for that night's social affair. I mean, I just. What are you carrying? Oh, this is my pineapple. Okay. I mean, do they eat it in front of people to to show. But then they they can't get their money back.

Charlie:
Surely a rented pineapple. You can't. No. You wouldn't be able to rent and eat the pineapple. So you would just be holding the pineapple all night. Weird, isn't it? So they'd be standing there with a pineapple by their side like a rugby ball. Um, or they'd go out and about on the town to showcase their status. Look at me. Look at me. I've got a pineapple. Oh, I'm so rich. And merchants used pineapples in shop windows to attract wealthy customers. And yeah, the fruit also found its way into portraits and still life paintings as a symbol of exotic luxury. So, as you can see, it seems the pineapple wasn't just a fruit. It had achieved what some call the Paris Hilton effect. It had gone far beyond its, um. Its profile, let's say its flavour profile. Or as Marks and Spencers would have said, this isn't just a pineapple. This is a rare, exotic symbol of luxury pineapple. And if you're unaware of M&S, M&S Marks and Spencer's once just a clothing department store that went nationwide in England, probably the UK, it gradually became known for its high quality foods and in the mid 2000 they ran a very unique ad campaign that used this format. They had a very simple shot of a high quality food, like a chocolate pudding and a fork going through it slowly in a very sensual I think female voice said slowly and confidently something like, um, this isn't just a chocolate pudding, this is a melt in the middle Belgian chocolate pudding served with extra thick Channel Island cream, and then maybe mentioning the special deal on at the time and closing the ad with this is not just food, this is M&S food, which actually makes me want to do another episode on British TV ads because they really are some of the best in the biz.

Charlie:
Um, and that's not just my opinion. After having been exposed to? Yeah, all the TV ads in all of the countries that I've lived in. But I remember having a German one on one student a number of years ago who was actually a TV ad director or producer in Germany, and she would always talk about how British TV ads are the pinnacle in the industry. But, um, yeah, let's go back to the pinnacle of fruit, which is, of course, the pineapple. So, um, what else to say? Well, it was a statement of power and prestige flaunted more for its rarity than its flavour back in the 16th, 17th, maybe 18th century. Um, if you were hosting an event and wanted to show off your wealth, you'd rent a pineapple for the evening. Yeah, you don't even need to buy one. You can rent it. It's crazy to think that. What's your job? I rent pineapples. I mean, there would be literally a store, I guess that rents out pineapples I can't get my head around this.

Charlie:
And I wonder, I wonder if you're standing next to somebody who's holding a pineapple, claiming that they're so wealthy. I wonder if anyone would dare to ask them such a question. You know, I wonder, dear fellow. Might that pineapple be rented by any chance? I don't know. I guess maybe with some close friends they'd be like, oh, yeah, yeah, I rented this one. Don't don't tell anyone. Yeah, but the pineapple significance didn't stop at being a symbol of status. As the centuries rolled on, it took on new meanings and found its way into British culture in ways you might not expect. I mean, I don't think you expected that original meaning, but I will hopefully continue to surprise you. So during the Georgian and Victorian eras, pineapples became a symbol of hospitality and welcome. This idea was largely influenced by the fact that the tropical fruit was really scarce, and so the effort required to obtain one was great, right? So if someone presented you with a pineapple, it was considered an incredible gesture of goodwill and hospitality. I wonder if that's where the chocolate on the pillow comes from. I wonder if chocolate was a rarity. And so that was like, oh wow, we're being treated here. I mean, I love a chocolate on a pillow, but, um. Yeah.

Charlie:
Was it a status thing, I wonder? But with the pineapple. This is why even today, you'll see them carved into doorways, gateposts and even furniture. It was a way of saying, you are welcome here. You're so special. We went to the farthest land to acquire a delectable treat for you. I mean, it's carved in stone so you can't eat it. But still, as one says, when they get a birthday present, it's the thought that counts, right? Next time you're walking around London, just notice the pineapple motifs in the most unexpected places, as I said, on rooftops and railings and even in the design of garden ornaments. I think I've even seen quite a few pineapple hedges. I think there's a word for that. I think it's like topiary. Let me just check. Yes, topiary. Okay, so topiary is the art or practice of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes. Um, it's also making me think of the palm tree. Getting a palm tree into a non-native environment. Is that also status? It's exotic, isn't it? And it's like a pineapple. It's like a big pineapple. If I was an idiot, which I am, I would think that pineapples grow on palm trees. I know they don't. Where do they come from though? Oh yes, I've seen them They're quite surprising if you've never seen how a pineapple is grown. It's quite alarming. I mean, thinking of most plants, it's just like this sudden.

Charlie:
Here's this centrepiece. I think you should Google them right now. It's almost like this plant is arrogantly saying, look how wealthy I am. It's. Yeah, it's almost personifying an Englishman in the 17th century, but it's not rented this pineapple because they've grown it themselves. These clever little pineapple plants. Um, but yes, you will see pineapples all over London. One of the most famous examples of this is the Dunmore pineapple. Not in London. This is in Scotland. Um, an 18th century summerhouse with a giant stone pineapple perched on top. I haven't seen it in person, but from a quick Google, it's a bizarre yet perfect example of how the pineapple became an architectural symbol of status and, and I guess warmth as well, because it's also saying you're welcome to come to this establishment. And while those pineapples carved into buildings will continue to reflect a level of status and hospitality in modern day Britain, I don't really see the fruit as being a symbol of wealth anymore. You know, I wouldn't be confused seeing a homeless person tucking into a pineapple. Actually, would I? I think I would turn my head, actually, but I wouldn't be as bamboozled as a 17th century man who might have had to fork out for one just for the evening to attend a very important event. You know, if they if they walked out from the party and saw a homeless person eating a pineapple, they would be bloody confused.

Charlie:
Whereas I would maybe just look twice and think, um, oh, that looks nice. I might have some pineapple today, but still it holds a place in our cultural consciousness. It's, um, it's often seen as a as a quirky emblem of, um. Yeah, of exoticism and fun. Yeah, it's a bit fun. Um, something that brightens up a party or a room. And it's also in fashion, even in home decor. I think pineapples as an all over print on wallpapers is a thing. I think I've been in a house with, uh, pineapple wallpaper. Um, and it's even a relatively popular tattoo design. So this fruit has had quite the journey, hasn't it? From the tropics to the Grand Tables of England. And along the way, we could say it's woven itself into the fabric of British culture. What started as a rare, exotic symbol of wealth and status eventually became an emblem of hospitality and warmth, and is now known more for its exotic flair or funky vibe. But yeah, from being the star of lavish banquets to popping up as a quirky decorative motif in modern homes, The Pineapple Story actually shows us how something can shift meanings over time. It's gone from a luxurious treat to an iconic symbol that still pops up today, whether it's in a fruit salad, a funky wallpaper, or your next cocktail. So yeah, next time you're out and about, whether you're in London or anywhere else, keep an eye out for the pineapple.

Charlie:
You might just be surprised at how often it pops up. Thank you for joining me on this little exploration of the pineapples historical and cultural significance. I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Ms, Master Pineapple, for featuring so heavily in this episode. I salute you and maybe the listener does too. If you do, let's salute together. Three. Two. One. Salute to the pineapple. Um, stop being weird and just finish the episode, will you, Charlie? Remember, if you wanted to get transcripts that are manually edited by a native British English teacher, along with the glossary of all of the Intermediate to Advanced vocabulary with flashcards, then head over to the premium podcast. If you wanted all of that with zoom classes and a full structure taking you from not knowing any of the language to then being able to use it yourself confidently, then check out the Academy. But if you were here just for this episode, I thank you very much for getting to the end of it. If you wanted to leave a review, that would also be lovely. Yes, I'd like a review. Thank you very much. Um, have a lovely rest of your week and I'll see you next time here on the British English Podcast. Cheerio.