Sweet Treats

Yay! Another package from Japan. This box was for my older daughter from her grandparents in Kobe. If you're heading to Japan anytime soon, you might want to take notes. Japanese candy is definitely worth trying. My nephew says it's the best and he's pretty picky.
That's Peko-chan on a bag of lollipops. Notice, the bag is already empty. 
 
If you want to bring back something truly Japanese-tasting, try these umeboshi candies. If you've tasted umeboshi (pickled plum) before then you know what these taste like. Umeboshi is definitely an acquired taste. They are too sour and salty for me, but my husband, and most Japanese people I know, love 'em. I do like umeboshi in a nabe (a Japanese stew/soup dish) though. The saltiness gets diluted and it really flavors the broth nicely. As for the candy, I'm going to eat one of these anyway, for old times' sake. 

Update: I just popped one of these into my mouth and they're much better than I remembered. Definitely umeboshi-flavored, but much sweeter than the real deal pickled-plums. 
I have yet to try these, but I'll update you as soon as I do. These must be throat lozenges because it says, "nodo" which means throat.
Warning: These are addictive. 
 Kind of intimidating packaging, but don't be scared. This is delicious honey-flavored candy. 
 Yum. Slightly minty with a floral sweetness. I guess that would be the honey, but not a full-on honey flavor. These taste kind of like a mild throat lozenge, but with no medicinal taste.These actually are throat lozenges, but Japanese throat lozenges always taste like regular candy to me.
These are my favorite Japanese candies. I would compare them to Werther's Original, but with a twist.
They come in Butterscotch, "yogurt scotch" and Royal Milk Tea. Royal Milk Tea is an interesting flavor for candy. It tastes pretty much like what you'd expect, tea with milk. Exactly like tea with milk. It would have made a nice first course for an Everlasting Gobstopper.
Cute packaging.
 Haven't tried these chocolates, yet either. But they look really good. Hold on... 

Wow, those are interesting. They're little bottle shaped chocolates filled with a liquor flavored liquid.

Update: That wasn't liquor flavored, that was real sake in there! I didn't notice the kanji for alcohol on the package. Good thing I didn't give one of these to the kids. 
 Pretty packaging, eh? Haven't gotten to these yet.

Update: Whoa! These are umeboshi, too. They pack a punch at first, but sweeten up if can manage to keep them in your mouth for that long.
These were delicious! 
 I forgot how tiny lots of Japanese treats are.
 Mmmmm!
Don't be fooled by that face, she LOVED these. 
And, for my husband and me, a New Year's dragon. Three years ago, we got a tiger at the shrine near my in-laws' house. 
 Since then, my mother-in-law has sent us a rabbit (last year) and this one for the year of the dragon. Aren't they cool? I'm so happy she sent us one again this year.

Comments

hasnulyakin said…
Your topic today remind me of my mother in law in Kyoto too :)

http://hasnulyakin.blogspot.com/2011/04/little-house-of-kobuchizawa.html
Vanessa said…
thank goodness for mother-in-laws!

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