The New York Times Food section is a Wednesday delight. Reading about the hip cheese of the moment and which subtle Bordeaux I absolutely must pair with my next steak tartar really helps me get my jollies in the early AM on hump day. As good as Food has been in the past though, this Wednesday’s took the cake (ha, ha).

The story about a West African berry simply called “miracle fruit” (named in that delightfully sketchy tradition that gives dealers the appellation of “cookie men”) which drastically alters the palate for about an hour, making everything you eat or drink–even vinegar and lemons–taste sweet, really rocked my gustatory socks.

Apparently, it hit the New Yorkers hard too; the video accompanying the article features a blue tracksuited fruit dealer clutching wads of cash. This was not, however, the first time I had heard of this foodie phenomenon.

My older sister, a resident of Rockville, Maryland and her band of hipster friends had a tasting party for “miracle fruit” months before those New York hooligans took a bite. Advice from my big sis on eating the magic fruit: “I suggest also rubbing it on your lips so that the juice that get on them are still sweet and don’t sting. ”

No word from the FDA on whether or not there are any long-lasting adverse effects from the fruit. Besides the vinegar guzzling, of course.

-Clare Malone, Managing Editor

Photo from Flickr user Torrez used under a Creative Commons license