Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Where my stomach calls home ...

When I was six years old, my grandmother informed me that my breakfast choices - cheese, summer sausage, and crackers - were more suited to breakfast in Germany than the U.S.A. 

12 years later I made my first pilgrimage to the spiritual home of my stomach. It should come as no surprise that visiting Germany did nothing to satiate, but merely whet me for more.

In particular, I still - 18 years after first tasting it - long for the unnatural-looking, orange-coloured juice called Mult-Vitamin Saft. Orange from carrots and flavoured with fruit juice, it is a little like a V-8 Tropical Splash. 

I said, “a little.” No, it is not the same. But it is the closest I have ever found in the U.S.

Note the healthy vitamins in this wine ; )  
My decades-long quest to find Mulit-Vitamin Saft outside of Germany took an unusual turn here in Tokushima yesterday. In a tiny store selling imported foods, a few, small, orange bottles sat on the refrigerator shelf. So unobtrusive I almost missed them.

“Multi-Vita Vino.”

What? Vino?

Well, I cannot pass up anything that might take me further on my quest. Buying one, I took it home. 

And the results are mixed. I like the juice, which this certainly was, and the wine gave it a punch. It is good, but not what I am searching for. 

My protracted quest resumes.

In truth, my journey to find Multi-Vitamin Saft was not at the forefront of my mind yesterday. I entered the store because Christmas is coming, and  I noticed the display of German chocolates. It is time for my other obsession. It is Lebkuchen time! 

Monday, November 05, 2012

Japan may not have Halloween Oreos ...

... but it has this:



Pumpkin Kit Kats!

I know, the first time I saw them I was sceptical, too. However, upon further research (aka, devouring a bag of them), it turn out that they are delicious. 

Kit Kat flavours change seasonally. I have not been keeping up with them this year, although I did when I lived in Tokyo. It's a fun hobby - tasting the Japanese seasons through the lens of an American candy bar.

The winter season also brings another wonderful Japanese candy:


Little brandy-filled chocolates. There's nothing like sitting inside on a cold evening, drinking tea and partaking in a Bacchanalian revelry. As long as it's a Bacchus candy bar from Lotte. 



Candy capers capriciously across the concatenation of time.  
Quirky and curious;
Contemporary and classic;
Delectable.

Thursday, November 01, 2012

Whisky, Round 2

My path toward “whisky snob” began several years ago while playing nanny for the Jordon family. Others had offered whisky to me before, but I was not impressed. Mr Jordon, however, brought out a bottle of The Balvenie DoubleWood, and life would never be the same. When David and I got together, I introduced him to The Balvenie DoubleWood, and his path through whisky toward connoisseur was sealed.

Together, we have since been to the home of The Balvenie to pay our homage and thank the distillers for saving us from cheap whiskey. And now, our quest for quality continues.


Distillery: Nikka
Expression: Miyagikyo
Age: No age given
Price: 1500 yen ($18)

Verdict: This whisky has a stronger flavour than the Yoichi: perhaps more medicinal and less sweet. I got the distinct impression of liquorice, both in the initial aroma and in the aftertaste. I don’t mind liquorice, but it is not my favourite. For that reason, I probably won’t be buying this one again.

Comparing Yoichi and Miyagikyo, I prefer the Yoichi.

For more information on Miyagikyo whisky, see:
Nonjatta, a Japanese whisky blog
or
The Nikka distillery website

To enter the world of Japanese whisky, I found this to be a good introduction: Japanese Whisky Primer