Jonathan Szeto

Sophomores Stellan Lindh and Vera Sorotokin taste strawberries after eating miracle berries. The fruits turn acidity in foods into sweetness by binding to sweet receptors in the mouth.

Cooking Club members sampled miracle berries on Friday in English teacher Christopher Hurshman’s room. 

The small, red fruits native to West Africa cause acidity to taste sweet for five to 10 minutes. They contain miraculin, a chemical that binds to sweet receptors in the tongue.

Attendee Stellan Lindh (10) was surprised by the efficacy of the berries.

“I’ve been wanting to try miracle berries for around three years now,” Stellan said. “I was kind of skeptical that they would actually work, but everything tasted very sweet. I really want to try other foods with them, especially ones I don’t like, like bell peppers.”

The club prepared a selection of sour foods like limes, pickles, grapefruit and candy. Attendee Amy Chen (9) enjoyed experiencing unique flavors from the effects of the berry.

“The limes were really sweet and tasted like candy,” Amy said. “The other foods were okay. The [salt and vinegar] chips were really strange. I want to buy some berries off Amazon now.”

As part of its mission, Cooking Club seeks to introduce students to different culinary experiences through cooking lessons, including a brownie-making session later this year. In the past, the club’s officers provided food for the community by baking cakes on Cake Friday and pretzels for students and faculty.

Co-president Victor Gong (12) hopes to help students bond through the club’s guided culinary experiences.

“Not many people have experienced biting into a lime and tasting something sweet, so we thought it would just be a good experience for the community,” Victor said. “Giving them something special and tangible to eat while chatting with others. We’re definitely hoping to do more of these community events along with hands-on cooking meetings.”