Could do the same thing with the melon!
WTF???
Are these a new thing at Gelsonâs (as in, just this year), or have they been offering boutique international fruit for awhile?
Iâm kind of interested, but Iâd really have to do it in a group. B/c, if mine tastes⊠well, not like I would expect a $6 strawberry to taste, did I just get a bad one, or is it all just about appearance?
Itâs the first time Iâve noticed exotic international fruit. They have carried Harryâs Berries in the past but first time seeing fruit of this level.
Hard to imagine those boutique berries tasting any better than Harryâs at their best.
The melon is no doubt delicious. But donât forget that Japan is really into marketing gimmicks, too. Just because it is Japanese doesnât mean it is delicious or worth the asking price. I have never had this particular melon, but I would rather try buy from a local farmerâs market when in-season.
Also, one element of these âgift fruitsâ is their presentation at the department stores in lit-up glass cases. They put these in cardboard boxes so that you canât see what you are paying $120 for? Thatâs strange.
I was able to open mine to inspect it. they also had some display melons.
Actually, this kind of produce is a big deal in Japanese culture. Since they have such limited space for agriculture, they canât pump out fruit the way many countries can and with shipping costs, bringing in fruit can be expensive, too.
So they developed these fruits to make one slice or one piece as satisfying as eating a fruit salad here. Thatâs why itâs a special gift or reserved for special occasions.
I learned this while my friend spent 5 years in country working.
When in Japan, hit up the fruits parlours there (yes, thatâs a thing). At the parlours, you can buy slices of grade A-minus and B-plus samples of those vaunted fruits to try (just a bit too unsightly to gift, but still with all that great taste!)⊠And they also make parfait cups with them fruit. Definitely memorable. Best fruits in the world.
#UglyDelicious #ButterFruit
How could I search for these places? Whatâs the Japanese term? Sounds very enticing!
I made that last post to remind people (no one in particular, and many I am sure do not need reminding) that Japanese marketers are talented, too. Just because something is from Japan, has a nice story, and a sparkling wrapping doesnât automatically make it amazing.
I have had fruit like this at Sembikiya and at meals/events in Japan. Yes, it is good. But we have amazing produce from right here that is very good too. To go from a level 9 CA melon for, letâs say, $20, to one of these presumably level 9.5 Japanese melons for $120? You are getting diminishing returns. You are spending $100 on that last half of a point.
But⊠if you want to try the âpinnacleâ of melon once in your life? Go for it!
Wading back to the shallow end before I get too far into byb watersâŠ
I didnât know Elon Musk also invested in some of these melons. âMusk Melonâ
CROWN MELON | MVJ INTERNATIONAL
At Sukiyabashi Jiro the dessert course was a honeydew melon wedge. It was so far superior to any melon Iâd previous eaten as to almost qualify as a separate fruit. Still probably wouldnât pay $130 for itâŠ
letâs all chip in a dollar and get those strawberries and have a bite each. LOL.
Ah, you saw what I did thereâŠ
The person who cuts my hair is Japanese. I saw her today, and I told her about the fruit. She seemed totally dumbfounded by the price and said that pink strawberries werenât popular in Japan (she last lived there ~5 yrs ago). FascinatingâŠ
Theyâre a recent invention.
Also does anyone know how niche some of these Japanese fruits are or arenât? As I understand fruit giving is a big part of celebratory Japanese culture but is every household going out and buying 100 dollar melons to give to relatives and close friends etc? Or do they just give regular fruit?
It seems akin to harrys berries on this board, everyone here knows what they are because we are a bunch of food nerds, that love eating, exploring new cuisine/food, and talking about what we ate. But I know that if I asked my social circle maybe one person would know what Harryâs berries is.
Good article. Very disturbing to read about how global warming is putting all strawberries (at least in CA?) in jeopardy.