Food and Drink

Nov 08 2004 2 Comments

Glutton for punishment

Despite Japanese food being healthy, and the majority of its people very much on the svelte side, eating competitions are an incredibly popular form of entertainment here. Whether it is a live event or a televised show, these galas of gluttony have a strong and enthusiastic following. And having watched a few such shows on TV, I must admit that in a bizarre and at times disgusting way, they do make for compulsive viewing.

That’s not to say that Japan has a monopoly on such activities. Coney Island’s hot dog eating contest for example gets worldwide coverage. Although for the last 4 years the winner has been Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi. Who for anyone interested produced a new world record at this year’s event. The Tsunami as he’s known managed to wolf down a gut wrenching 53.5 hot dogs and buns in a mere 12 minutes.

But a noodle and bread-eating contest held in Hyogo prefecture on Saturday ended in tragedy. One of the contestants, a 38-year-old woman, had trouble breathing whilst eating bread, and to the shock of the watching crowd fell unconscious. However despite being taken to hospital, the woman tragically died 9 hours later.

Oct 21 2004 1 Comment

Million yen meal

During December, 40 wealthy individuals in Tokyo will get the chance to sample some of the world’s finest wine, combined with an original menu by France’s chef of the century Joel Robuchon.

The event will be held on two separate nights, and goes by the rather apt title of Hedonistic Dinners. Organizer Robert Parker (a U.S. wine critic) has lined up 19 top vintages, including a 1921 Chateau d’Yquem, and a 1953 Margaux. And if that’s not enough, there will also be an 1864 Chateau-Lafite-Rothschild, which has been aged for a century in the Scottish cave that inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

But all this comes at a cost, and as the title suggests, a place at the table will set you back a staggering 1,000,000 yen (5,000 pounds). A price that Parker claims will be unlikely to cover the costs.

I wonder if they’ll be doing a cut-priced lunch set?

Oct 20 2004 4 Comments

Tuna technology

It’s probably not much of an exaggeration to say that the Japanese are obsessed with food. Trips, TV, and traditional events often seem to be based solely around eating. And whilst perhaps not devoured to quite the same degree, the nation isn’t all that averse to new technology and gadgets either.

So it seems perfectly natural that the two should be combined. And what better way to do it than with some sushi USB memory?

For anybody tempted, the SushiDisk comes in two sizes. The 128 MB model will set you back a steady 8,200 yen (42 pounds), and the smaller 32 MB version a more reasonable 6,000 yen (30 pounds).

Sep 17 2004 Leave a Comment

Mildly amusing product names #1

Forget Viagra (no matter how cheap those friendly e-mail vendors may be offering it), as for a measly 135 yen you can now simply buy yourself some Horn.