Episode 152: Sweets from Japan

Y: Hello. My name is Yuta. Please call me Yuta. Nice to meet you. This is KSU student Podcast.　

A: Hello, Yuta. I’m Asuka. Please call me Asuka. Nice to meet you, too.

Y: Suddenly, where are you from, Asuka?

A: I’m from Nagoya, Aichi. How about you?

Y: I’m from Hirakata, Osaka. Hirakata has some sweets. I like Marui chizukeki in Daikokuya. We maybe call it “round cheese cake” in English.

A: Oh, it sounds delicious. What colors does it come in? It is yellow, isn’t it?

Y: I think we recognize that this color is white. I have eaten manju there, but I have not eaten a round cheese cake. If I have a chance, I would eat it. I think this food is very delicious and soft. When I put cheese cake in my mouth, it melts and it’s very very …………… delicious!!

A: I would like to have it, too. How much is it?

Y: It’s about one thousand yen included tax.

A: Sounds great!!

Y: How about your local sweets?

A: Umm…… . I think “Oshirukosand” is the most popular in Aichi.

Y:  “Oshirukosand” ?? What is it?

A: The sweetened bean paste are azuki beans made in Hokkaido. Including, apple jam and honey. So, they are wrapped in cookie dough. It is a taste which hasn’t changed for many years.  Sweetened bean taste is a little sweet and cookies are a perfect salty taste. It is very good!!

Y: That’s wonderful. I want to eat it as soon as possible.

A: I want you to eat it soon, too.

Y: I think there are a lot of sweets all over the world.

A: I think so, too.

Y: For example, “pancake” in Japanese. “pan cake” is maybe the most famous sweets in Hawaii, I think. It’s because when I went to Hawaii on high school trip, I saw it many times. For example, in a café, at a stand and so on.

A: Oh, really?? I have never been to Hawaii, so I didn’t know that.

Y: I see a lot of “pancakes” with toppings. For example, some cream, some strawberries, jam, blueberry, bananas, chocolate sauce and so on. There are a lot of kinds of toppings.  When I saw it first, I was surprised to see it. It’s a miracle!

A: Ah… I’m interested in them. However, the sweets which I will introduce are very good!

Y: Well, What is it? I think that “pancake” is the best sweets of all sweats in the world.

A: You are foolish, aren’t you? The thing which I ‘m going to explain is better than your sweats. I’m going to introduce “kakigoori” made in Japan. This is called “Shaved ice” in English.

Y: The shaved ice exists only in Japan, doesn’t it?

A: No. Actually, Korea has it, too. The shaved ice is called “Paapins” in Korea. “Paa” means “Azuki” in Japanese and “Pins” means “water with ice in it” in English.

Y: I’m interested in “Paapins”. Please tell me more about it.
A: Yes. Next, I’m going to teach how to eat it. When you eat “Paapins”, you stir the shaved ice.

Y: Japanese shaved ice is usually eaten by from top to bottom in Japan, isn’t it?

A: Umm…… . I think so, too.

Y: I think it’s strange……….

A: This food looks bad, but the taste is very good. I want you to eat it.

Y: Certainly… I think it is good. I’d like to have it.

A: By the way, which sweets do you think are the best all over the world? In other words, what’s your favorite type of sweets?

Y: Umm……. It’s a difficult question for me to answer. Umm…………. I’ve decided!! I think I love ”Matcha” in Japan very much. This is called “powdered green tea” in English. Recently, I would like to eat powdered green tea sweets in specialty store and I can find a specialty store.

A: Where is specialty store around Kyoto?

Y: I think “Machakann” is the best because there are specialty store for powdered green tea.

A: Really? What food can you see and eat?

Y:  For example, originally powdered green tea with ”wagashi”, shaved ice with powdered green tea, Powdered green tea cleamrate,  frozen powdered green tea, tiramisu with powdered green tea made in Uji and so on.

A: I wish I could eat them. All the food is very delicious, isn’t it?

Y: I don’t know about that because I have never been to “Macahakan”. However, I would like to go there.

A; Wow…. I want to take you to this place!

Y: I’d love to!

A: Let me introduce my favorite sweets. I want to introduce “tsubo purin” in Japanese. That is made in Kobe.

Y: Really? I haven’t heard about it. What is it?

A: It’s in a cup (tsubo). It looks like cream.

Y: Ah…. It’s a miracle.

A: I don’t remember eating it, but I think this pudding is the best in the world.

Y: It sounds yummy. How much is it?

A: I think it is a little expensive.

Y: When you eat it, this flavor spreads bigger and bigger. These tastes are Caramel, Cream and Custard especially. This food includes three tastes are far matching.

Y: I would like to eat it and experience it like you.

Y: You’re welcome, Asuka.

A: Thank you for listening and your introduction, Yuta.

Y: You’re welcome, Asuka. I’m also thankful to you!

A: That’s all for today. Thanks for listening!!

Y: We hope you learned something new!