Stardew Valley 1.6’s Most Useful Item Is An Inedible Food

screenrant.com:

The best new item introduced by's 1.6 update is a food item players can't actually eat. Now available on all platforms, version 1.6 (technically 1.6.9) represents one of the most expansive updates to yet. With new crops, new farm types, and, most importantly, new items, even players with hundreds of hours in the game have found tons to explore since the most recent updates.

But amid all the new content in version 1.6 and 1.6.9, one item stands out. It's a food item, or more accurately, a drink, but the player can't actually drink it. However, its uses go above and beyond mere consumption, and can actually be one of the most useful items in the valley, depending on how players use it.

Unfortunately, players can't actually drink the new Stardrop Tea introduced in version 1.6; if they try to use it as they would any other food item, absolutely nothing will happen. This sets it apart from a similar item, the plain old Stardrop. Each Stardrop fully restores the player's energy, and permanently increases their maximum energy by 34 points. However, the player can't choose when they use it — each Stardrop is automatically consumed upon obtainment.

Stardew Valley needs a more robust cooking mechanic to encourage creativity and exploration, as its current form feels like an afterthought.

Stardrops are exceptionally rare by design. Most players find their first one at the Stardew Valley Fair, where they can purchase one for 2,000 Star Tokens. They'll get a second when they hit the 100th floor of the mines, and a third when they hit 12.5 hearts with their spouse. They can find a fourth by offering Old Master Cannoli's statue in the Lost Woods a Sweet Gem Berry, and a fifth by donating 95 items to the museum. Willy will give them their sixth when they reach Master Angler, while Krobus will give them a seventh for 20,000g.

Suffice it to say that Stardrops are deliberately rare to prevent players from gaining enough max energy to become overpowered, allowing them to complete