In keeping with this Spring's Alice in Wonderland fever, Waitrose has launched a new upside down fruit: the pineberry. With it's white skin and red pips, one could be forgiven for thinking the pineberry was borne in the imagination of the Mad Hatter.

Despite their extraordinary smell and taste similar to a pineapple, pineberries are still strawberries. The tiny berries have the same genetic make-up as the common strawberry. It is their fresh, juicy, sweet and acid flavour with a highly aromatic smell - more akin to a pineapple - that inspired the name ‘pineberries’.

Originating in South America, the pineberry started life as a wild variety of strawberry. It was threatened with extinction until seven years ago when Dutch farmers began growing it on a commercial level.

Each pineberry is smaller than a common strawberry measuring between 15 to 23 mm. They are grown in glasshouses, growing on coir like other strawberries.

They begin life as green berries, then become slightly white. By the time its deep laying seeds turn dark red this white fruit is ripe.

Whether pineberries and cream will replace the traditional strawberries at sporting events this year is yet to be seen.

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