The great British summer will not be the same without the traditional dish of strawberries and cream. But to fill the void a new fruit has come which will get people in the mood -- the "strasberry".
The new fruit, genetically a strawberry whose deep-sunken seeds and round shape give it a striking resemblance to a raspberry, has been enjoying a surge in popularity across continental Europe.Waitrose, Britain's sixth-largest supermarket chain, is to introduce the new berry this year.
The fruit has a sweet taste the retail giant hopes will make it a hit among UK consumers this summer.
The strasberry, which originated in South America, started life as a wild variety of strawberry. It was threatened with extinction until seven years ago when farmers in the Netherlands started growing it on a commercial level.
Since then it has become a popular addition to desert plates in European restaurants.
"The strasberry is a very versatile product which brings the best tastes of summertime and a very pretty appearance to the pudding menu," The Scotsman quoted Nicki Baggott, fruit buyer for Waitrose, as saying.
Advertisement
The strasberry is the latest addition to the list of so-called "heritage" foods being brought back into fashion by Waitrose. These include the Shetland black potato and the Suffolk pink apple.
Advertisement
SRM/L
