Miracle Berry has been very famous in Chicago thanks to an Irving Park coffee shop, Berrista, which was owned by late famed chef Homaro Cantu who initiated the use of this fruit for their miracle pastries. The coffee shop became well known for this fruit that makes sour foods taste sweet.
What is a miracle berry and where does it comes from?
Miracle Fruit, which is also known as Miracle Berry is a native plant in West Africa. It is called miracle because of its ability to deliver a one-of-a-kind effect on the taste buds.
How does it work?
Miracle berry contains miraculin that binds to the taste buds. Miraculin, a glycoprotein functions as "sweetness inducer" when it is reacts with acids so it turns bitter and sour foods to taste sweet. The effect last from 30 minutes and 2 hours, according to Miracle Fruit USA.
"I discovered this because a friend of mine couldn't taste food while she was in chemo and radiation therapy, so we called thousands of people around the world and we found that this little berry, which comes in ice cube, whole berry and vial form, we also sell tablets, actually enabled her to taste food again," said chef Homaro Cantu.
Cantu experimented with Miracle berry by replacing table sugars with the fruit. He incorporated the berries in pastries, cupcakes, turnovers and soda.
The Miracle berry was first discovered as early as 1725 in South Africa when early settlers used to chew it before meals. Hundreds of years passed, it became famous even in celebrations known as "Miracle Fruit Parties."
Today miracle berry comes in various forms including freeze-dried granules and tablets that have the same effect of changing your taste buds.
