How did you flaunt your wealth in 17th century Dublin? Was it a certain type of carriage, a specific frock coat or an address in a luxurious part of the city?
While impressive, none of these was the true status symbol of Dublin's Golden Age. It turns out it was a fruit: pineapples.
The exotic fruit, one of many fruits and vegetables carved into the impressive red brick facade of the Victorian Dublin Fruit and Veg Market in Dublin 7, was so expensive in 17th and 18th century Dublin that buying just one would set you back a whopping €8,000 in today's money.
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So coveted were the spiky fruits, in fact, that you could rent a pineapple for dinner parties and events to impress your non-pineapple-owning friends. How far we've fallen.
This fascinating tidbit and more were doled out like piping hot Irish stew by Donal Fallon, the host of the social history podcast Three Castles Burning, on a walking tour as part of Me Auld Flower festival, which launched today.
Organised by the same team behind Big Grill and held in the Dublin City Fruit and Veg Market on St. Michan's Street in Dublin 7, Me Auld Flower is the city's newest food and drink festival, held in one of the city's oldest and most important markets.
Running from 16-19 March, including a no doubt bustling St. Patrick's Day, the festival is the first event of its kind to be held in the sprawling and intricately designed market, which opened in 1892 and closed in 2019 for refurbishment.
A number of journalists were invited to visit the festival on Thursday, learning about the surrounding area and the historical significance of the market before heading inside to hop from food truck to food truck. Under the high ceilings of the market, stalls were bustling once again, with some of the city's top food and drink vendors out in force.
Foodie favourites like Bahay, The Salt Project, Bites by Kwanghi and more created special dishes inspired by the weekend that's in it, with Bahay serving up their version of a battered sausage using Pigs on the Green Longanisa sausage, while The Salt Project served Irish cheese and onion croquettes with winter truffle mayo.
Some of the vendors spoke with RTÉ Lifestyle about their favourite Irish foods. Click the video above to watch it now.
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Follow the clouds of steam out back and you'll find the Big Grill barbecue experts hard at work stoking the mammoth smoker, with chefs like Mark O'Brien and restaurant Reyna serving up all manner of succulent flame-cooked goodies.
The weekend will also feature special guests and cooking demos, including chef Jordan Bailey and Majken Bech Bailey formerly of Aimsir, Aniar's JP McMahon, chef Shauna Froydenlund, host of Grill Seeker Nico Reynolds and more.
Homages to the market's history abound in the festival, from the lily buckets of flowers dotted around the vendors as a nod to the flower market that used to operate out of the site, to the buggies used to transport goods.
Honouring the inner city Dublin community, there will be everything from a coddle cook-off to classic Dublin street games.
For a chat with some vendors about their favourite Irish foods and more, click the video above. For more information on the festival, visit the website here.
