Food and Drink

Dec 18 2006 2 Comments

Donut dementia

Despite several other outlets serving similarly sweet foodstuffs — and a few further factors facing the new franchise — the Japanese mantra of ‘if it’s new, we will come — en masse’ has once again been put into effect, with the first Krispy Kreme shop in Japan receiving the customary fad-based fanfare over the weekend.

And whilst the elderly security guard fortunately found the crowd sedate as well as sweet-toothed, the huge amount of people was reminiscent of the recent PlayStation 3 pandemonium.

Which in 6 months time could well have dwindled to a couple of foreigners and the odd donut devotee.

Dec 06 2006 1 Comment

Metabolic ministers

In a bid to promote healthy living and at the same time combat Japan’s growing obesity problems, two Japanese health ministers have started a website to document their fight against getting fatter.

Both Noritoshi Ishida and Keizo Takemi have been diagnosed with so-called metabolic syndrome, which in layman’s terms appears to mean the possession of a big belly – the pair’s relatively ample abdomens having been measured at the outset of the six-month experiment.

From their comments, the two men seem intent on succeeding, with Ishida-san (left) explaining, â€œI have given myself a challenge and decided to open up the diary of my struggle.â€ The 55-year-old boasting that he will now only use elevators as a last resort, drink just one beer a day, and last but not least, try to walk a whopping 10 minutes a day.

Tubby Takemi is equally gung-ho about getting rid of a bit of girth, although he is well aware of the coming difficulties. â€œI will be under pressure to make a very serious effort, as I love delicious food. But I want to send a message: ‘If Takemi can do it, everybody can’ â€. An assertion that was immediately backed up by the minister’s pledge to practically starve himself by limiting his dessert intake to a measly one helping a day.

Nov 17 2006 8 Comments

Beaujolais bath

Japan may well be the world’s largest importer of Beaujolais Nouveau — having overtaken the United States in 2004 — but it appears that many Japanese wine drinkers have begun to wake up to the fact that despite all the fanfare, the fruity tipple is more than a tad overrated.

So much so in fact, that a group of wealthy wine lovers in Hakone, near Tokyo, opted to rather wastefully have a wash in the stuff.

One off the group cheekily chirping, â€œAt least it has a bit of body now.â€

Or something along those lines.

Perhaps.

Nov 02 2006 9 Comments

Dolphin delicacy

Perhaps in a bid to make people think that Japanese ‘scientific’ whale hunting isn’t really that bad after all, fisherman in Wakayama Prefecture have been conscientiously continuing their regular cetacean cull; a busy day on the boats last Saturday alone resulting in around 128 dead dolphins.

Yet it may not be only the dolphins that suffer from such activities, as the potentially high levels of mercury in the resultant meat is far from healthy. A fact that prompted Health Sciences University Professor Tetsuya Endo to confess, “To be honest, I’m worried about people who eat too much of it. There is a range in the concentrations (of mercury in meat) and averages may be low, but a consumer may have bad luck and get a high-density serving. Japanese people have their choice of food. Why eat something dangerous?”

But despite such choice people still eat the stuff, with supermarkets preparing the product by balancing the amount of fat, meat and skin in each portion. A delicacy that may not look to be bad in its traditional setting of a miso-flavoured stew, but in its natural form, ‘appetising’ isn’t exactly the first word that springs to mind.

Tempted?

Oct 25 2006 1 Comment

Modified mascot

Whilst the pink and perky Kewpie doll may well have made its first appearance in a women’s magazine in the United States, its fame in Japan appears to stem from a close connection with mayonnaise; a company bearing the same name closely associating its egg, oil and vinegar based speciality foodstuff with the big-eyed baby.

In fact, as well as Kewpie appearing prominently on mayonnaise packaging, it even enhances the entrance to company buildings.

Such a close affiliation to the character however means that the soon to be released variations on the Kewpie theme by amusement firm Buildup may not exactly be greeted with the trademark open arms.

Well, the old man and melting models may not cause too much distress.