Source of inspiration 162 (click on this title!): Box fruit

When I first saw this photo, I thought these strange fruit were in fact decorative boxes. I discovered with surprise that they are real fruit.

For years consumers struggled to fit the large round watermelon in their refrigerators. But twenty years ago a forward-thinking Japanese farmer solved the problem: he came up with the idea of making a cube-shaped watermelon which could easily be packed and stored.

To make it happen, farmers grow the melons in glass boxes and the fruit then take on the cube shape as they get bigger. They are hand-picked and shipped all over Japan. But they are three times more expensive than ordinary watermelon.

Although the idea is interesting, I think it is bad to change the real shape of fruit. We should respect the natural growth of things. It is not surprising that Japan came up with the idea; they invented the bonsai, did they not?!

Article by Alissa Viguier