Researchers unveil something that could turn the miracle fruit world on its ear. Find out how fungus, E. coli, and even tomatoes have come to be key players.

For the past several years, Japanese researchers have enlisted the help of fungi, non-virulent forms of E. coli, and field crops in an effort to create bio-production systems to inexpensively yield larger amounts of miraculin, the active ingredient in miracle fruit. The Japanese have been a little bit ahead of the us and the rest of the world when it comes to using miraculin. For instance, miracle fruit extract and miraculin has been tested and approved for sale by Japan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (comparable to the FDA in the US). Miracle fruit tablets have been on sale in Japan since 2006.

The most promising effort to come to fruition (get it?) has been through tomatoes. Would they be called miracle tomatoes or miracle fruit tomatoes? One of the decisions the researchers are trying to make is whether these tomatoes would be offered as snacks prior to consuming food or if the tomatoes would provide an easier way to mass produce miraculin for use in capsules.

This is pretty exciting news in the world of miracle fruit. Maybe this will be the catalyst that the miracle fruit needs in order to become mass marketed and produced in the US.

Read the full story at here

Any comments or concerns about this news? Let us know what you think.

It’s been a great few weeks! We have redone our website, collected more miracle fruit recipes, posted more content, secured a deal with a supplier, and even opened up for business. The sweat on our brow has just broken.

Much more is in the works…

We want to be the number one resource for everything miracle berry. Why? We’ve spent hours and hours experimenting, and having fun with the miracle fruit. We’ve also spent a lot of time researching the miracle fruit on the internet.

We’re dissatisfied!

All of this great information is spread out in smaller pieces throughout the internet. We want to round it all up, and package it in just the right way for you. We want miracle fruit information to be accessible and more palatable.

If you haven’t been here in a while, take a look around. And check back soon.

• Miracle Fruit Recipes
• Miracle Fruit FAQ
• Throwing a Flavor Tripping Party?
• Where to buy miracle fruit
• Follow us on twitter

Photo credit Lex”i”con

Flavor tripping is a term used to describe the effects of the miracle fruit. Once this berry is eaten and given a chance to coat the tongue, it temporarily changes the way taste buds perceive sour or acidic flavors, making them taste very sweet. Lemons taste like lemonade candy. Goat cheese tastes a little like cake frosting. Check out a full list of tasting suggestions here.

Because of the unusual effects of the miracle fruit, some people or venues throw “flavor tripping” parties. A bunch of people come over and sample an array of foods to taste them in a whole new way.

I suppose I can’t say that this is the rage all over the nation because, frankly, it’s not. However, there are a few restaurants, clubs, and bars that have been known to throw flavor tripping parties, or flavor tripping nights. These occur mostly in larger cities. Oftentimes, the events sell out. One venue, Atlanta’s Three Sheets, holds a flavor tripping night once a week. They require reservations, and sell out almost every time ($20 admission). These flavor tripping events can cost anywhere from $10 – $50 a head. Admission normally includes a miracle fruit berry and an assortment of fruits and some sour or odd-tasting foods to choose from. Liquor is normally not included.

So have you missed the boat?

I don’t think you can say that. The flavor tripping party that really made waves was the one featured in the NY Times back in May of 2008. What boat is there to miss, really? Chances are, most of the people you know haven’t gone to or thrown a flavor tripping party, much less, even tried the miracle fruit. So, you’re in the clear. This is more of a cult following, fringe event; the likes of which have mostly been experienced by foodies, hipsters, and above all, the curious.

Thanks to the fact that you can order these miracle fruit tablets (you can buy some here), you can throw a flavor tripping party of your own without breaking the bank, and without having to charge your guests fifty bucks a head to get in. They can probably even pitch in by bringing in their favorite fruits or drinks.Plenty of people are already doing this. Just type in “flavor tripping party” in youtube or flickr, and you will be inundated with recently posted videos or pictures of people having a jolly ol’ time with the miracle fruit.

Interested in throwing a flavor tripping party? Click here.

You’ve taken the plunge. You’ve tried the miracle fruit for yourself, and have been blown away by the effect it has had, transforming the way you taste sour, bitter, and acidic foods into delightfully sweet treats.

Or maybe you haven’t tried the miracle fruit yet, and you don’t want to do it alone.

Have a party!

Perhaps you want to shock and amaze your guests, or you want them to cheer you on as you try the miracle fruit for the first time. Either way, we at the Miracle Fruit Blog are here to save help you. If you’re in the dark about what flavor tripping is, click here.

Step 1:

Buy some miracle fruit tablets. We normally go with the tablets for a few reasons: they have a longer shelf-life (about 12 – 18 months), whereas the berries can only last 2 to 3 days. Also, it takes about 3 berries to make one tablet. For more info, click here.

Step 2:

Plan ahead of time what kinds of foods you would want everyone to try. You can even request some assistance from your guests. Ask that they bring foods, fruits, or drinks to try with the miracle fruit. Encourage curiosity. Acquire, prepare, and arrange the foods and drinks you are going to sample.

Preparation of the foods is key. You and your guests don’t want to waste time peeling, ripping, or cutting different foods apart. Arrange bite-size samples of the foods you would like to try. Check out our recipes page for taste suggestions, as well as many food and drink (non-alcoholic and alcoholic) recipes. Click here.

Step 3:

Taste some of the foods without the effect of the miracle fruit. It will give you a baseline of how things normally taste, and it’s just a lot more fun seeing how much the foods have changed in comparison.

Step 4:

Dissolve a miracle fruit tablet on your tongue. Don’t chew! All you and your guests want to do is place a miracle fruit tablet on the tongue. Let it dissolve. Swirl, swoosh, and mix your saliva with the miracle fruit tablet and let it coat as much of your tongue and taste buds as possible. It’s not going to work if it doesn’t come in contact with your tastebuds. This is very important. Once the tablet has dissolved, you’re ready to go.

Flavor or taste trip away. This is an experience to remember. Have fun with it. Try what you can. Make different concoctions and mixes. Share.

Play a game: Feed a blindfolded person different foods and have them guess what it is they are eating. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

WARNING:

Just because something doesn’t taste acidic, doesn’t mean it’s not acidic. Going overboard with eating lemons and chugging vinegar may take a toll on your stomach. Go easy.

Need ideas on what to serve? Click here.

Many new recipes have gone up in the past few days. Be sure to check out periodically, since we’re going to be adding recipes as we come across them. This is not to mention some of the recipes that we are experimenting with and creating ourselves.

So far we’ve added:

Desserts:

• Lemon Curd
• Citrus Combo
• Miracle Fruit Cupcakes
• Fresh Strawberry Pie
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Drink & Cocktails:

• Miraculous Lemon Drop
• Gemini’s Grace
• Miracle Mojito
• Thornton Cocktail
• Miracle Limeade Cocktail
• Magic Berry V8

Appetizers:

• Grilled Pepper Salad
• Watercress and Endive Salad
• Couscous & Fruit Salad
• Vegetarian Chili
• Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab

Entrees:

• Lime Grilled Fish with Fresh Salsa
• Chicken and Fruit Salad
• Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad

Here are some recipes that we hope to see soon (cutting room floor):

• Apple Strudel
• Sugar-free teriyaki sauce
• Sour Jell-O shots
• Magical Martini

Lemon curd is a thick, soft and velvety cream with a wonderful tart, yet sweet citrus flavor. Traditionally it was used as a spread for scones. Today it is used as a filling for tarts, pies, and cakes. Normally, a lemon curd recipe, such as this, calls for 3/4 cup of sugar. Skip the sugar and just go for a miracle fruit.

Ingredients:
2-1/2 Teaspoons Flour
Grated rind of 2 lemons
¾ Cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks
1 Teaspoon of butter (unsalted)

Directions:
In the top of a double boiler, mix the flour, the beaten egg yolks, lemon juice, rind, and butter. Cook stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of spoon (about 4 to 5 minutes). Mixture will curdle if you don’t stir constantly. Refrigerate and store in a covered jar. Use within a few days.

Remember the miracle fruit.

(Originally on Miracle Fruit Man)

This will keep 4 days in the refrigerator and is a nice dish to have on hand for any meal. This tasty combination of fruit is loaded with vitamin C.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Ingredients:
1 lg pineapple, chopped (or 1 19-ounce can pineapple chunks)
2 lg peaches, chopped (or 1 14-ounce can sliced peaches)
2 large apples, washed, cored, and cut into bite-size pieces
2 large oranges, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size pieces
1 large pink grapefruit, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size pieces
2 lemons, chopped
2 limes, chopped
1/4 cup of lemon juice
Fresh raspberries or strawberries for garnish

Directions:
In a large bowl, set pineapple chunks and lemon juice. Add apple pieces (the pineapple and lemon juice will prevent the apple from turning brown). Add rest of fruit and mix well. Transfer to covered container and refrigerate. Place in bowl to serve and garnish with raspberries or strawberries.

(Originally on Miracle Fruit Man)

Toss a colorful mix of grilled bell peppers with briny olives, sweet sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette for a lovely side dish. Or spread crostini with goat cheese and top it with this salad for an easy summer appetizer.

Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each.

Ingredients:
4 Bell peppers (mixed colors), halved, seeded and stemmed
1/4 Cup Halved and pitted oil-cured black olives
1/4 Cup Rinsed and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
8 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Lime

Directions:
Grill peppers on medium-high turning once, until soft and charred in spots, about 5 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, chop the peppers into cubes and toss with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oil, vinegar, lime and salt in a large bowl.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

(Originally on Miracle Fruit Man)

This delicious and healthy dessert recipe calls for Greek yogurt, and lemon juice with mixed berries.

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients:
2 Cups Sliced strawberries
1 Cup Blueberries
2 Cups Green grapes
1/2 Cup Plain, fat-free yogurt
1/4 Cup Lemon juice
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss together sliced strawberries, blueberries, and green grapes.
In a small bowl, whisk together plain, fat-free yogurt; lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Pour this dressing over fruit and toss gently. Makes 5 servings.

(Originally on Miracle Fruit Man)

Watercress and Belgian endive are topped with fresh corn kernels, grated egg and a simple lemon vinaigrette for a stunning first-course salad.

Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each.

Ingredients:
3/4 Teaspoon Freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 Cup Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
4 Cups Watercress, tough stems removed
4 Hard-boiled eggs (see Tip), grated through the large holes of a box grater
1/2 Cup Fresh corn kernels
2 Heads Belgian endive, trimmed and leaves separated
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Whisk lemon zest, lemon juice, oil and salt in a large bowl. Add watercress, egg and corn; toss to combine. To serve, arrange about 6 endive leaves on each salad plate in the shape of a star and top with about 1 cup of the salad. Season with pepper.

TIP: To hard-boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and cover the eggs with ice-cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle before peeling.

(Originally on Miracle Fruit Man)