grinner
08-29-2004, 05:31 PM
The WACKIER World of
Japanese Ice Cream
By Ryann Connell
Staff Writer
Japanese Cool doesn't get any cooler than ice cream! And, perhaps we should all be thankful for that.
Manga, anime, karaoke, fashion, movies ... Japanese cultural exports have become hot property all over the world, giving a softer edge to a country renowned for its cars, electronics and, er, a love of nature reflected by concreted rivers?
Sushi, sashimi and sukiyaki originated in Japan and now tantalize taste buds across the globe.
But, where there have been hits, there have also been misses. It's hard to imagine pizza connoisseurs outside of this country adding local favorites corn and mayonnaise to their list of top toppings.
Japanese ice cream, too, is unlikely to achieve the same giddy heights as raw fish -- even though it's one of the flavors it comes in.
Judging by the tastes on offer at Ice Cream City in Namco Nanja Town in the Sunshine 60 building in Tokyo's Toshima-ku, ice cream seems to be one aspect of Japanese Cool likely to be lost in translation.
Raw Horseflesh Ice Cream
(Basashi Aisu)
We're not horsing around with this one. There mere thought of putting raw horseflesh into ice cream may be enough to produce plenty of neigh ... er, naysayers. And, rightfully so. You can get it straight from the horse's mouth, this would have to vie for the vilest ice cream ever created. The chunks of meat inside it offer ample proof of why horseflesh is usually used in dog food. Not wanting to be a nag, this flavor needs a definite gee-up. The only saving grace is perhaps that tonight's dessert could well have been last week's odds-on favorite.
Goat Ice Cream
(Yagi Aisu)
Goats are known for eating absolutely anything ... those brave enough to taste test this Japanese ice cream may do will to adopt a similar attitude. Made with, of course, goat's milk, but also containing plenty of the rest of the animal, it's little wonder this billy goat's gruff.
Whale Ice Cream
(Kujira Aisu)
Maybe a better example of Japanese Cruel, especially with its hunks of flesh, but this ice cream will still provide a a whale of a time. Whale has long been a delicacy among the Japanese. Certainly not a politically correct choice, but one that will definitely get people blubbering. But, so much for scientific research, huh? Despite the rich, creamy texture, the ingredients are probably from a minke and not a sperm. Perhaps we should all be glad for that.
Shark Fin Noodle Ice Cream
(Fukahire Ramen Aisu)
Just when you thought it was safe ... to eat ice cream again, here's something you can really get your jaws into. The tangy taste of Shark Fin Noodle Ice Cream is definitely one for the fin-nicky fan. A great white ice cream!
Oyster Ice Cream
(Kaki Aisu)
Giving an entirely new meaning to Pearl of the Orient, Oyster Ice Cream can be eaten at any time, even if there's an "R" in the month. Oysters have a reputation for providing prowess, but whoever thought of this ice cream should have made like its ingredients and got back in the shell.
Abalone
(Awabi Aisu)
About the only thing fishier than the taste of Abalone Ice Cream is the business sense of whoever decided to put it on the market. Abalone is certainly a delicious addition to many aspects of Japanese cuisine, but when it comes to ice cream, perhaps abalone would have been better left on the bottom of the ocean.
Seaweed Ice Cream
(Wakame Aisu)
If marine animals aren't your cup of ice cream, perhaps the healthy alternative of seaweed is preferable? Seaweed is packed with minerals, some of which are medicinal, which probably goes a long way to explain the taste.
Deep Sea Water
(Umi no Mizu Aisu)
Brine may well rhyme with fine and shine, but this flavor offering the salt of the seas does neither. Imagine drinking some milk at the beach precisely the moment you cop a mouthful of water after a huge wave dumps on you and you've got something like this out of the ordinary taste.
Spinach Ice Cream
(Horenso Aisu)
This ice cream will really pop eyes! No longer will frustrated parents have to urge their children to eat their greens if they want to have their dessert. Now, Spinach Ice Cream will let kids kill two birds with one stone by eating their veggies and ice cream at the same time. Rumors this ice cream makes the eyes squint, ruins pronunciation and forearms grow to ridiculously large proportions are unfounded.
Garlic Ice Cream
(Dorakyura Aisu)
At last! An ice cream that lets everybody around you know you've eaten it! Garlic-flavored Dracula Ice Cream is a summer delight you can really get your teeth into. Designed to ward off vampires, the irregular selection of flavoring may ward off a few ice cream lovers, too. Garlic may well be a wonderful condiment for an assortment of foods, but, appropriately for the substance vampires really hate, this is bloody awful. Incidentally, Garlic Ice Cream was made in the tiny Aomori Prefecture village of Shingo, which claims to be the place where Jesus Christ's grave is located.
Tomato Ice Cream
(Tomato Aisu)
You've got to wonder whether this ice cream inspired the makers of the B-Grade classic "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes." Tomato Ice Cream tastes as gross as it sounds. Tomatoes are tremendous in salad, sauce and a variety of other dishes, but ice cream? Rotten tomatoes for this one.
link (http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/photospecials/0406/ice-cream04/00.html)
There are more at the site... :yuck:
Japanese Ice Cream
By Ryann Connell
Staff Writer
Japanese Cool doesn't get any cooler than ice cream! And, perhaps we should all be thankful for that.
Manga, anime, karaoke, fashion, movies ... Japanese cultural exports have become hot property all over the world, giving a softer edge to a country renowned for its cars, electronics and, er, a love of nature reflected by concreted rivers?
Sushi, sashimi and sukiyaki originated in Japan and now tantalize taste buds across the globe.
But, where there have been hits, there have also been misses. It's hard to imagine pizza connoisseurs outside of this country adding local favorites corn and mayonnaise to their list of top toppings.
Japanese ice cream, too, is unlikely to achieve the same giddy heights as raw fish -- even though it's one of the flavors it comes in.
Judging by the tastes on offer at Ice Cream City in Namco Nanja Town in the Sunshine 60 building in Tokyo's Toshima-ku, ice cream seems to be one aspect of Japanese Cool likely to be lost in translation.
Raw Horseflesh Ice Cream
(Basashi Aisu)
We're not horsing around with this one. There mere thought of putting raw horseflesh into ice cream may be enough to produce plenty of neigh ... er, naysayers. And, rightfully so. You can get it straight from the horse's mouth, this would have to vie for the vilest ice cream ever created. The chunks of meat inside it offer ample proof of why horseflesh is usually used in dog food. Not wanting to be a nag, this flavor needs a definite gee-up. The only saving grace is perhaps that tonight's dessert could well have been last week's odds-on favorite.
Goat Ice Cream
(Yagi Aisu)
Goats are known for eating absolutely anything ... those brave enough to taste test this Japanese ice cream may do will to adopt a similar attitude. Made with, of course, goat's milk, but also containing plenty of the rest of the animal, it's little wonder this billy goat's gruff.
Whale Ice Cream
(Kujira Aisu)
Maybe a better example of Japanese Cruel, especially with its hunks of flesh, but this ice cream will still provide a a whale of a time. Whale has long been a delicacy among the Japanese. Certainly not a politically correct choice, but one that will definitely get people blubbering. But, so much for scientific research, huh? Despite the rich, creamy texture, the ingredients are probably from a minke and not a sperm. Perhaps we should all be glad for that.
Shark Fin Noodle Ice Cream
(Fukahire Ramen Aisu)
Just when you thought it was safe ... to eat ice cream again, here's something you can really get your jaws into. The tangy taste of Shark Fin Noodle Ice Cream is definitely one for the fin-nicky fan. A great white ice cream!
Oyster Ice Cream
(Kaki Aisu)
Giving an entirely new meaning to Pearl of the Orient, Oyster Ice Cream can be eaten at any time, even if there's an "R" in the month. Oysters have a reputation for providing prowess, but whoever thought of this ice cream should have made like its ingredients and got back in the shell.
Abalone
(Awabi Aisu)
About the only thing fishier than the taste of Abalone Ice Cream is the business sense of whoever decided to put it on the market. Abalone is certainly a delicious addition to many aspects of Japanese cuisine, but when it comes to ice cream, perhaps abalone would have been better left on the bottom of the ocean.
Seaweed Ice Cream
(Wakame Aisu)
If marine animals aren't your cup of ice cream, perhaps the healthy alternative of seaweed is preferable? Seaweed is packed with minerals, some of which are medicinal, which probably goes a long way to explain the taste.
Deep Sea Water
(Umi no Mizu Aisu)
Brine may well rhyme with fine and shine, but this flavor offering the salt of the seas does neither. Imagine drinking some milk at the beach precisely the moment you cop a mouthful of water after a huge wave dumps on you and you've got something like this out of the ordinary taste.
Spinach Ice Cream
(Horenso Aisu)
This ice cream will really pop eyes! No longer will frustrated parents have to urge their children to eat their greens if they want to have their dessert. Now, Spinach Ice Cream will let kids kill two birds with one stone by eating their veggies and ice cream at the same time. Rumors this ice cream makes the eyes squint, ruins pronunciation and forearms grow to ridiculously large proportions are unfounded.
Garlic Ice Cream
(Dorakyura Aisu)
At last! An ice cream that lets everybody around you know you've eaten it! Garlic-flavored Dracula Ice Cream is a summer delight you can really get your teeth into. Designed to ward off vampires, the irregular selection of flavoring may ward off a few ice cream lovers, too. Garlic may well be a wonderful condiment for an assortment of foods, but, appropriately for the substance vampires really hate, this is bloody awful. Incidentally, Garlic Ice Cream was made in the tiny Aomori Prefecture village of Shingo, which claims to be the place where Jesus Christ's grave is located.
Tomato Ice Cream
(Tomato Aisu)
You've got to wonder whether this ice cream inspired the makers of the B-Grade classic "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes." Tomato Ice Cream tastes as gross as it sounds. Tomatoes are tremendous in salad, sauce and a variety of other dishes, but ice cream? Rotten tomatoes for this one.
link (http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/photospecials/0406/ice-cream04/00.html)
There are more at the site... :yuck: