The Anime Blog - We Go Beyond Anime!

I’m such a sucker for pretty packaging when it comes to Japanese treats. I don’t read the Japanese language above junior-junior remedial, so having smart, attractive packaging is important in conveying to me that I MUST buy a J-snack.

This tart/ cookie, Choco & Coffee, has a nice fusion of East meets West (and then misunderstands it a little) on the bag. BOURBON, the Japanese company who makes today’s treat, also makes other Western-inspired goodies. This is the first time I’ve ever sampled anything by BOURBON. Let’s see how my premiere tasting goes….... Continue Reading...

In Dango Digest, Part One, we got acquainted with the vast world of dango. In the second part of Dango Digest, let’s take a peek at how to actually make the dango. Part Two has two basic recipes for dango, some sauces, plus two “rare” dango recipes: Hanami Dango and Botchan Dango.... Continue Reading...

When you’re having fun on the go and you’re looking for snackage, food which is as mobile as you is always a good thing. In Japan, country of a thousand festivals, food mobility is an important factor to enjoying the celebrations. Many festival snacks come in ball form (takoyaki), on a stick (yakitori) or both, making carrying around your food without making a mess easy. These two snack attributes are best personified in a treat almost as old as the festivals: dango.

Dango are dumplings which can be either savory or sweet and are often, but not always, served on a bamboo skewer. Savory dango are many times covered in some type of soy-based sauce, which can either be sweet, salty or both, and can be served with nori sprinkled on top or completely wrapped in a sheet of seaweed.... Continue Reading...

It’s coming soon! White Day is this Friday! It’s our day ladies! Our day to rake in the goodies after we forked ‘em over on Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day in Japan, to those who are unfamiliar, is a day when women give men chocolate (choco) and don’t get diddly in return. That’s right, nadda. Women even have to go so far as to give choco to men they might not even like. Isn’t that a shame? Well, a candy marketer came up with the concept of White Day to correct this injustice. ... Continue Reading...

Last year, I posted a brief write-up of Valentine’s Day in Japan. To refresh our memories: ... Continue Reading...

Fall is that time of year when the weather cools down, the leaves turn vibrant colors, and stores try to come up with inventive ways to market pumpkin in all its glory.... Continue Reading...

Kinako doesn’t sound good as a dessert ingredient; when translated, kinako means “toasted soy bean flour” and the kanji are written as “yellow flour” (is that like yellow snow?) To some people, the thought of soy= tofu= *blech* and the thought of beans used similarly= WTF?!... Continue Reading...

I realized something the other day in my kitchen. I realized that I was out of amanatto and that in order to get more bean goodness, I would have to either drive 5 hours to the Chicago Mitsuwa or try and find it online to order it. Nooooooo! I can’t be that outta luck! I love’s the amanatto! ... Continue Reading...