Having spent a fair amount of time in China, I feel that I can safely say that I am familiar with the Chinese conception of candy and dessert. And their conception, to be quite frank, blows. Red bean popsicle, anyone? How about green jelly nougat? Or a bean-paste-filled donut? When it comes to matters of the sweet tooth, the Chinese don't have a clue. During my six month sojourn, I would seriously have given my right arm for a twin pop. You know, just one of those blue, red, or yellow (sometimes there's grape and rootbeer flavored, too)popsicles that comes in a huge bag for like $1 at the grocery store? Instead, I opted for the $5 Haagen Daaz bar at the Sheraton Hotel. It became quite an expensive habit, to be honest, especially when you factor in the cab fare and the inevitable purchase of another one for the road. But where else was I going to get my dessert fix? Coming back to "The States," as those crazy "ex-pats" over in China call it, I was thrilled to have access to all the candy I was familiar with, not a red bean or a rice ball in sight. I swore off all Chinese candy for good (refusing to drink the Peanut Juice often brought to our Chinese food potluck parties by people just getting back from Taiwan--PEANUT JUICE!) and lived happily ever after.
Recently, however, we had a visit from a friend who lives in Japan full time. He brought us some candy, and I thought "here we go again. I'd better brace myself for bean paste." The candy came in a bright blue and green bag with a gorilla and a rabbit (each holding a male mallard duck and wearing traditional Japanese kimonos)on the front. In Japanese it reads "Magic Mushrooms." The other bag contains two types of candy, one called "Ghana" and the other called "Crunky." I have a sinking suspicion that by "Crunky" they mean "Crunchy" as was often the case with the English written on T-shirts and labels in China ("Party Girl" became Pasty Grile" and so forth). Let me tell you, I had the biggest shock in the world when both the Magic Mushrooms and the Ghana and Crunky were DELICIOUS. The Crunky, in particular, are breath-taking, and I know my crunchy chocolate products.
What did I learn? Don't judge a book by its cover and don't lump all Asian candy under the category of "Chinese." Cause some of it is better than a gluten chew.
What a coincidence. One of our hometeachers, who came at 10pm on March 31, just got back from a business trip from Japan. He brought us each a piece of Japanese candy. I wish it had been a Magic Mushroom or a Crunky. He told us beforehand, "I wanted to bring you something from Japan, so I brought you these, even though I didn't think they were very good." He was right. It was some kind of chocolate covered thick, white, sponge-like gel. We ate it just as soon as he finished the prayer he began with: "Dear Heavenly Father, Good Evening..."
ReplyDeleteHmmm, perhaps you have to live in Japan for a long time in order to discover good Japanese candy? That home teacher sounds like a riot. You should do a top ten list.
ReplyDeleteI think you are going to have to get your hands on some Korean candy, just to be thorough. Something tells me it too will blow. (They NEVER ate it on MASH.)
ReplyDeleteWait a minute...just wait a minute.
ReplyDeleteThose Japanese may be on to something. I have often said that what we need in this country is food flavored gum (candy might do). In a world where the inhabitants are getting increasingly large and the demand for fad diets is going through the roof (Just watch daytime or extra late night TV if you don't believe me) we could use a little practical help. Just think of the times when you knew you should have pushed back from the table, but the taste, it was just sooooooo good, you just couldn't help yourself. How about specialty supreme pizza gum? Sizzling steak? Lasagna? Just think of the endless possiblities! I am sure in this day and age when scientists can concoct any flavor or fragrance from a little dab of this and a little dab of that, surely they could whip this stuff right out (less the calories of course).
Well this post is right up my alley. Considering I tutor three asian women in ESL a couple of times a week...one from Taiwan, one from Japan and one from Korea. At the end of each lesson the wierd stuff comes out. Bamboo soup anyone? But I must agree that while their savory dishes are surprisingly lovely, their sweet stuff is horrid. I have yet to make a distinction of whose sweet stuff is best and worst.
ReplyDeleteJust the other day Tae (Korean) brought a sweet rice and bean loaf. shudder. She also gave me a box of Japanese cookies that looked so delicious until I realized that they had white, brown, green and red bean paste in them. (And I had been fooled by those bean paste ones before). I thought I'd try to tempt Matt with a brown one and say it was chocolate, but it would be too cruel.
I'm going to ask Kayo (Japanese) about those candies. Then maybe they'll bring those, instead of deceptive--but delightful looking--puff pastry with green bean paste in it.
I know I have gone on and on, but just in response to what Marcy wrote, a sister from Montreal on my mission was in the MTC with a girl from Japan in the ESL program. The Japanese girl also would pray, "Dear Heavenly Father, Good morning..." I wonder why that is.
We thought it sounded particularly funny in French, "Je pere celeste, bon jour..." (sorry for those french speakers out there, I don't speak or spell french)
Okay get this: I was just going onto my secret shopper profile to update some information, and somehow I am listed as "Asian-American." What the carp? I wonder if I have been missing chances on secret shopping gigs by being selected based on some sort of marketing stratetgies. Strano.
ReplyDeleteOh and I guess you see from skewedview's comment that I was raised to have a passion for food....I hope this explains a few things about me.
ReplyDeleteThat IS strano.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Japanese stuff. It cracks me up. Chinese stuff cracks me up but it's accidental. Japanese stuff cracks me up on purpose. But they've nailed down the melon flavored popsicle those Japanese have. Yum. Yum. They have also mastered the art of textured food. Like clear starchy things. Clear, sweet, non-jello, flavored, chewy, rice starchy things. So weird but kind of good...and I totally hate bean paste...
ReplyDeleteSorry to burst your bubble regarding your Epiphany - but... All Asian candy pretty much blows, lol. But that's really just a matter of perception. No one ever said that candy had to be sugary sweet, and/or made from artificial flavorings and colorings in order to be considered a treat (and I even happen to enjoy red bean popsicles!)
ReplyDeleteWith that said - I believe you'll find that candies such as "Magic Mushrooms" and "Crunk" can be found in China as well as Korea (not just Japan). It all depends on where you shop. But come on... Do you really think that Magic Mushrooms and Crunk are an iconic representation of Japanese Candies? These candies were made based off of Western influence - and aside from where they were produced... really aren't a good reflection of Asian Culture or their foods.
Dang. I must have hit a nerve. Forgive me for assuming that crunk and mushrooms are a true reflection of Asian culture. I will be more careful next time.
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