Gift Guide, Day 10

Little Miracles

I remember the first time I tried Miracle Fruit. I was a total skeptic - can anything actually make something sour taste sweet? I put the bright red berry into my mouth and took a big swig of pure lemon juice.  It worked! My mouth was flooded with shocking sweetness. 

For a while I kept the berries in my desk as a kind of parlor trick, offering them to visitors so I could watch that look of amazement cross their faces. Then I discovered how lovely the plants are, covered with pretty flowers in the summer and gumdrop like berries in the winter. "Go on," I'd say to my guests, "pick a berry."

Miracle Plants make surprising gifts, especially this time of year, when they seem like tiny tropical Christmas trees. You can find them any number of places, but this one is my favorite.