TRICK OR TREAT?

The New York Times reports on a strange psychedelic berry that makes beer tastes like chocolate and Tabasco sauce taste like a sugary glaze. The “Miracle Fruit” (Synsepalum dulcificum, technically) is a bizarre little berry that when eaten will make your tongue perceive bitter and sour flavours as sweet and yummy for up to two hours. Some restaurants in Japan are already serving the berry alongside unappetizing low calorie desserts. The berry makes customers believe that they’re eating a deliciously decadent treat. While the berry is just beginning to make it to North America, there’s no shortage of websites which sell the magic berry as a dieter’s dream come true. “Works with alcohol, vegetables, cheese, in fact almost everything,” exclaims one online sales pitch, “it is impossible to explain how wonderful things taste.”