Albino Strawberries

Unlike their American cousins, Japanese strawberries are usually red outside and white inside. I have gotten used to the two-tone pigmentation and now associate it with the outstanding flavor of berries in Japan where the season starts at the end of November and lasts until May when we are sick of eating them anyhow.

Today I had my first encounter with white strawberries. The conspicuous absence of color struck me as, well, odd. What is a strawberry without its red skin? The very essence of this luscious fruit was lost. To some these albino berries may look exotic but to me they looked sickly and anemic.

Intended as gifts, the berries are sold at a specialty fruit seller, not our local Gourmet City supermarket. They come in six packs priced at Y6300 but also may be purchased individually in little cellophane-wrapped cups for Y1100 (about $12) apiece. The size of a plum, each berry is considerably bigger than normal and completely blemish-free. What is the proper way to eat said fruit? Knife and fork? Fingers? I probably should have bought one just so we could try it.