Japan : Burger King invents black cheese for its black burger

Japan is a nation known for its love of culinary oddities, and starting Sept. 19, Burger King  plans to indulge that love with black cheese.

That’s right, Burger King Japan has announced the latest iteration of its “Kuro” burger (“kuro” meaning “black” in Japanese), first introduced last year. The buns are black, the sauce is black, and this year, the cheese will be black as well.

According to the gaming site Kotaku.com, the buns and the new cheese addition get their coloring from bamboo charcoal, while the accompanying onion and garlic sauce is prepared with squid ink, and the hamburger patties are made with black pepper, just for good measure.

There are two versions of the burger. The Kuro Pearl has a black pattie, cheese and sauce, while the more substantial Kuro Diamond, also has lettuce, tomato and onion.

The creation is available in two forms: The simple Kuro Pearl will sell for 480 yen ($4.49), while the fancier Kuro Diamond — which includes regular-colored tomatoes and lettuce — will run you 690 yen.