Would you pay US$10 for ONE strawberry? In Japan, a single-packed White Jewel strawberry costs that much.
Produced by only one grower in the world, Yasuhito Teshima in Karatsu in Japan, the White Jewel strawberry looks to the uninitiated like a strawberry that just hasn’t ripened yet. Or like someone has reversed the normal strawberry colours, as a perfectly mature White Jewel is snowy white with red seeds.
Although there are other white strawberries, none match the size or price point of the White Jewel. As fruit perfection is demanded, only about 10% of White Jewel strawberries make it to market, each cradled in its own individual wrapping and packet. They are popular as gifts.
According to Teshima, the flavour is:
“deep, something that doesn’t have a huge impact but it does give you a mysterious feeling and finally, you understand it”
However, according to a taste test by well-known food vlogger Krist Soup, the look and the smell of the White Jewel strawberry is amazing but the taste is:
“meh”.
Hahaha, “meh!” The white alpine strawberry doesn’t look like much but its taste is DIVINE. I know which I’d rather have!