Anyway, I usually jump into the sea of people that flood the basement level food stores to check out the most expensive grocery stores in town. In addition to normal foodstuffs, they have loads of prepared food vendors, and every kind of specialist you could imagine - tsukemono (Japanese pickles), tofu, Chinese food, sweets, rice crackers, herb tea, green tea, world coffees, countless others.
I'm always drawn to the perfect fruits. These are not the "Let me chop up this leftover banana and put it on a bowl of cereal" fruits. These are not, really, for personal consumption. These perfectly round, brilliant red apples, grapes so plump they look ready to burst, never blemished achievements of science and agriculture are the mannequins of the fruit world. And for this, they are not what one buys for family and for one's own consumption (so I've been told).
No, these special fruits, often sold in layers of packaging fit for diamond jewelry, are for gifts. It is in fact, their exorbitant prices that make them apt for gift-giving. After all, going to buy a $5 cantaloupe for the boss isn't going tack anything on to that end-of-the-year bonus. So, you're hoping for the highest percentage raise in your career yet? Only one thing will guarantee it (maybe...)
The $210 musk melon (sort of like a honeydew-cantaloupe cross).
$210 for one piece of fruit may sound crazy, but I guess if it means an extra thou/month next year, it's worth it after all...
After I quickly snapped a photo of it, a kind older woman came to tell me no pictures. Wouldn't want to disturb the sleeping beauties, I guess. Their glass case wasn't protection enough...
This International Herald Tribune article has some more info on the subject of gift fruit.
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