Seeds of autumn

A peeler wears iron fingertip protectors that preserve her fingernails as she works. XU JUNQIAN/CHINA DAILY

Suzhou is perched on Taihu Lake, China's second-largest freshwater lake, and farmers there wholesale the fruit at less than $2 per kilo. At the wet markets, the seeds sell for $35 per kilo. To rent a space at bustling locations like Fengmen Market, it costs about $10 every day. The margin in-between is the profit for Hu, a retired shop assistant.

Every autumn, seasonal gorgon-fruit peelers like Hu are so numerous that conflicts can erupt between long-term stalls and the temporary shuckers and sellers. This year, the administration office of Fengmen Market opened a basketball-court-size space for them to do business.

For Suzhou natives, gorgon seeds are like truffles for Italian or mastutake for the Japanese. The seed is classified among the "eight water treasures" together with lotus roots, water celeries and water chestnuts－considered the signature ingredients that characterize the cuisine of Suzhou, famous for being delicate and adapting to the change of seasons.

The weeks when gorgon seeds are on that market are as important as Chinese New Year on the local culinary calendar, says Ye Ting, a prominent local food critic.

The gorgon seed has no special flavor or fragrance, except a subtle sweetness. People who are fond of it say it's the special texture that they are paying for, five times more than coix (Job's tears) seeds, which have a similar texture.