Miracle Fruit - The berry that can rewire your mouth

Have you heard of this amazing product weaned by Mother Nature?

The Wall Street Journal has and printed this story today.

After consuming this berry, the active ingredient (Miraculin) works on your taste buds to make sour and bitter flavors taste sweet. The berry is not bitter itself. The effect lasts for up to 2 hours.

There is even a book on the subject.

The linked article cited someone who, upon eating the berry, thought a dark ale tasted like a milkshake.

Perhaps this is the end to the national obesity crisis! No more sugary snacks. [Edit to add that the FDA has already rejected miraculin as a sweetening agent for diabetics.]

What would you do with a miracle in the palm of your hand?

i worked @ a place in s fla called the sundy house in delray beach. it was a botanical garden w/3 dining area's throughout. we used to grow it there along w/hundreds of other tropical fruits. i loved playing around with the miracle fruit. i've tried in vein to find it anywhere else. if you do, please post about it.

You can get them overnighted here. The fruit is, apparently, highly perishable so the best bet might be to grow your own. The FL grower above also has seeds and cuttings available upon request.

Alas, it sounds like the plant does not just row in any old climate. A Japanese researcher GM'd a product that is more adaptable in its growing conditions. They were able to grow it in a lettuce.

The link above details a Miracle Fruit Cafein an indoor theme park (In Japan, a theme park is liable to break out anytime, anywhere). The cafe specializes in special super-sour baked goods made to be eaten after taking a miraculin tablet.

The linked article in the original post list a couple of business ventures over the decades trying to isolate and popularize the active ingredient. To date, none of these have been successful.

Jazzfood, I would be very interested to see anything you do with this fascinating fruit.

There is a good round-up of resources on the miracle fruit here.

i used to make a flan w/it and key limes. it's more of a party trick. amaze your friends. or bet them. eat it, then bite into a lemon. like juicyfruit gum. i also used it with a couple brazilian fruits i loved that we also grew, maracatu (passion fruit) which is more tart than hawaiian punch would have you believe and, i'm about to spell phonetically, jajoujacoba. did that more like a traditonal pudding w/the maria cookies as crust w/condensed milk and fresh coconut from the gardens as well.

I missed this when it was new on LTH, but for some reason this is back in the news at the New York Times, with accompanying video of a party where people try a variety of foods after eating the berries.

The miracle fruit was a recent topic of conversation on the Crispy on the Oustide podcast. Appartently, the fruit is used quite often in Africa in order to make the diet more palatable. There was also some conversation of why the fruit hasn't been approved by the FDA. The prevailing thought was that the artificial sweetner lobby has lobbied the FDA to ban the fruit so that it wouldn't cut into their profits.

The video certainly makes it look appealing, doesn't it? Almost as if we should have an event...

When I read the NYT article today, I *knew* that when I got home, someone would have suggested an event, and I think its a mighty fine idea! I think the NYT said that one of the sources it was about $90 for 30 beans....spread amongst 30 people & bring your favorite sour items...sounds like a reasonable evening's entertainment to me!

The supplier for the party in the article is Curtis Mozie, who runs http://miraclefruitman.com/

He charges $2.00/fruit, 30 fruit minimum, with a $30 shipping and handling charge.

My gut would be to buy 3-5 fruit per person. One for the party, and the remainder to take home to give to friends, family, etc. Saves on shipping, too.

Or, you could just order the bush for $35 (a little over $50 including shipping). Grows well in containers, but needs to be taken inside over the winter.

The Onion weighs in with a taste test.

This article on Miracle Fruit was on CNN.com today. Had never heard of it before, so where would I naturally turn for opinions about an African berry that seems to only appear in Florida in the US? Why, LTH of course!
There was talk about an event, did that ever happen? Did anyone end up getting a bush and growing your own? Any updated leads on where to purchase the fruit in small quantities in Chicagoland?
I'd be interested to hear about personal experiences--does the sour fruit still taste like it's supposed to, just sweeter or does this totally dampen the flavor? Is there a time at the end of the "trip" where you're coming down and things taste half sweet/half sour?
The novelty and unfamiliarity of this fruit has made me intensely curious. Curious enough to spend 70 bucks to get a bunch shipped up here? No.