Category: Random Asides

Still staying on top of my #NaNaWriMo goals, so let’s have another snack. Couldn’t resist the little angel dude on LONELY GOD Potato Twists – Seaweed Flavor. And a melon ramune, which is the flavor I reach for if Blue Hawaii isn’t available (it usually isn’t). Japanese melon flavor is sort of … honeydew (hence the green), although some brands remind me of cantaloupe.

“Miyabe-kun!”

Mr. Fujiwara beckoned her over to the window at the front of his shop and its brightly-lit glass case. Making a big show of looking both ways, he passed her a steamed bun.

“Are you sure?” she asked. The glossy white bread was hot against her palm.

Mr. Fujiwara pointed knowingly at the bags looped over her arms. “Sweets aren’t strength, and you’ll be needing yours.”

“Thank you!” Kimiko broke the bun in half, releasing a fragrant cloud of steam.

—Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal (Amaranthine Saga, #2)

• • •

Hot Stuff. Steamed buns are wonderful because they’re hot. This time of year, I like to indulge because the barbeque pork buns from the local Korean market’s take-away counter are just the right size to wrap two hands around. Varieties range through savory and sweet flavors. I’ve tried the classic barbeque pork, ginger pork, chicken and vegetable, and a breakfast version with sausage and egg. Sweet versions usually involve red bean or mung bean, and seasonal fillings like chestnut or (as shown in the photo above) taro.  Both the bread and the creamy filling in these buns are tinted lavender. Bold snacking, indeed! (And pretty alongside green tea.)

Lavender Snacks. Settling in with my NaNoWriMo project, but not before I share another snack. For the uninitiated, taro is a root that can be used in similar ways to potatoes … except not quite. I’ve used it in soups and hearty stews, and it can be mashed and sweetened to create fillings for puffs or fried sesame balls (much like red bean paste or mung bean paste). You can also order taro-flavored boba tea. In the Japanese color-code for foods, taro-flavored items are lavender.

Iconic Snacks. In honor of Kimiko and in anticipation of NaNoWriMo’s month-long writing extravaganza, I raided several markets with an eye toward adventurous snacking. Let’s start with two of the most iconic snacks, both of which can sometimes be found in your grocery store’s international aisle.

Pocky & Ramune
(RAH-moo-nay)