Luxury fruit: are you buying it?
May 21, 2024 by DarcieI enjoy buying quality ingredients to cook and bake with, reasoning that a splurge on a lovely steak or locally grown, perfectly ripe peach is no more expensive than a mediocre meal in a restaurant. That said, there are some food items that I just cannot fathom buying regardless of my curiosity, usually because of their exorbitant price. I’m talking about things like steak from Salt Bae or civet coffee. The latest item on my ‘thanks, but no thanks’ list is a $400 USD pineapple created by Fresh Del Monte and sold by Melissa’s Produce.
The luxury fruit is called the Rubyglow, and the red exterior is eye-catching. Unlike its cousin the Pinkglow pineapple, which features a pink interior, the flesh of the Rubyglow is the traditional yellow. However, the flavor is sweeter and less acidic than a regular cultivar, according to the product description on the Melissa’s website. I tried a Pinkglow recently (priced at a more modest $10 USD), and I was underwhelmed. The pink hue is lovely but the flavor was merely pineapple adjacent. The acidity drives the flavor and the Pinkglow, which is also touted as being more mellow than a traditional pineapple, lacked the punch of its common counterpart.
Of course, most people willing to shell out that kind of money for a single piece of fruit are less interested in what it tastes like than its worth as a conversation piece or a badge of affluence. Consumers have long purchased costly items for ostentatious display, and food is no exception. A $400 pineapple, while an unreasonable expense for most of us, is not as ridiculous as some other luxury items. If it pleases you and you can afford it, then I say go for it. I’ll be happy to try a piece if you are footing the bill.
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