If you're planning to invite your friends over for the weekend and are looking for ways to spice things up a little and keep the fun going for longer, here's an idea that will definitely not ruin your party budget. It's great, fun and it's bound to keep all your guests giggling for hours, with the added benefit of being all-natural, tasty and completely legal. And no, I'm not talking about inhaling helium or swapping the bathroom soap with prank soap that will turn your friends' hands black for a couple of hours (that happened to me at a party and it wasn't as much fun as it sounds). What I'm proposing is that you work a little magic on your party food and make all of it taste sweet. Even lemons and beer.

Sounds slightly crazy, but it's actually possible, with a little help from a West African red berry dubbed the "miracle fruit", Miracle Berry or Magic Berry. And yes, it is something Harry Potter would be extremely fond of - a berry that makes everything sour taste sweet. There is, of course, a perfectly reasonable scientific explanation for the magic - the berry fruit contain a protein that temporarily binds to the taste buds, causing sour or bitter foods such as limes and lemons to seem sweet. But it's not all about lemons, although they do make the effects of the berry fruit appear at their best. Offer your friends a tablet made from compressed freeze dried Miracle Berry and advise them to allow the tablet to dissolve in their mouth - then start tasting your party food and drinks.

You'll be amazed to discover that a sip of vinegar will taste like sherry, and if you're into Guinness, get ready for a bit of a shock, as your favorite beer will suddenly taste like chocolate milkshake. The effect of the berries lasts for anything between 30 minutes and two hours, which is just enough to keep your party guests laughing as they taste their way through all the food in your fridge. The Miracle fruit is available as freeze dried granules or in tablets made from compressed freeze dried fruit. And remember: the effects of the berry become possible when it makes contact with the tongue, not through digestion, so make sure you allow it to dissolve properly in your mouth for a full effect. It is not a sweetener in itself, so people with diabetes can use it safely, too.