Welcome fellow Snackonians to D&A’s Talkin’ Snack! This is the place where we post one of our favorite Japanese snacks, deserts, and drinks of the day! Every Monday night we post a snack, drink, or dessert that will make your taste buds bow down to you! So if you wanna know what delicious treats we’ll have in store for you, then you definitely wanna check this page out! 🙂

Our Snack (Dish) of the Day is…Okonomiyaki

Here we are in 2018 with the return of Miscellany Monday featuring D&A’s Talkin’ Snack! Tonight we’ve got a tasty dish called Okonomiyaki; a Japanese pancake filled with various ingredients (such as cheese, sour cream, beef, you name it). The word Okonomi means “how you like” while Yaki means “grill”. Depending on which area or region of Japan you’re in, variants of Okonomiyaki can be found at various grills and restaurants. For example; in the Hiroshima area the ingredients for the dish are layered rather than mixed, and can consist of eggs, pork, cabbage, noodles, cheese, and squid. If you ever find yourself in Japan, don’t fly back home without trying this delectable dish!

Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Uiro

This traditional Japanese confection was originally the name of a medicine during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), but can be found at traditional confectionery shops all around Japan. Uiro (aka Uiro-Mochi) is a steamed cake made of rice flour and sugar, and comes in various flavors such as green tea, yuzu, and strawberry. There are regional versions of this delectable treat that can be found in Nagoya and Yamaguchi. (Did we also mention that it was also referred to as medicine in Odawara?) With all that being said, if you ever find yourself vacationing in Japan, be sure to stop by the local bakery or confectionery shop and try out some Uiro for yourself! 😉

Rating: 4.6 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Mont Blanc

Although this savory snack can be found in Japan, its origins are actually traced back to France. The snack itself consisted of pureed sweetened chestnuts topped with whipped cream. It is popular in places such as Hong Hong, Japan, Italy, Hungary, and also in the northwester regions of Romania. There are various other types of Mont Blanc that can be found in Japan as well as any of the other aforementioned places. If you happen to find yourself traveling around be sure to stop by Japan and try out this tasty little snack. Believe me, your taste buds will thank you! 😉

Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Yatshuashi

If you love baked goods like cookies and cakes then you’re gonna wanna sink your teeth into this tasty little morsel. Yes may fellow snack lovers this is called a Yatshyashi, which is a Japanese confectionery snack that is sold as a souvenir sweet. It’s made out of a gluten rice flour that is covered in cinnamon and sugar (kinda like snicker-doodle cookies), and is sometimes wrapped around some red bean paste if eaten raw and not cooked. This is quite a tasty treat to get your hands on if you haven’t gotten the chance to try one yet. (Just make sure you grab a plane ticket to Japan first! ^.^)

Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…The Japanese Steak Sandwich

Everyone loves a good sandwich; from the Phily Cheese Steak in Philadelphia, to the all American hamburger that can be found in every bar, fast-food restaurant, and local burger joint throughout all 50 states. This sandwich however comes from Tokyo, Japan and is known as the Japanese Steak Sandwich. You can get it from medium rare to well done, as it is served to you sliced into big sandwich cubes with a side of soy sauce to dip it in. Whenever you go to a Japanese Stake House in Japan, don’t be surprised if you happen to find this delicious beauty on the menu. If you haven’t had the chance to try this sandwich yet, save up some money (yen) and head to the nearest steakhouse in Japan that you can find. (You can even make your own right here in the U.S.A.)

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Yakult

Let’s face it, we all don’t exactly eat as healthy as we should (including us). So we’re taking this opportunity to introduce you to a drink that might actually make your colon a little bit happier. Yakult is a probiotic drink made of skimmed milk and a strain of bacterium Lactobacillus Casei, and was created by Japanese scientist Minoru Shirota in 1930. (It was then manufactured five years later.)

Yakult was first sold in Brazil in 1966 after its introduction in Japan, as well as Taiwan. Depending on the geographic location of where it was being sold, Yakult had different bottle sizes ranging from 65-100 milliliter. It is also known to help reglate one’s digestive system and keep one’s gut flora in check. In other words; help maintain a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in the intestines of our bodies, where 70% of your digestive system is.

So if you haven’t gotten the chance to try some Yakult, then head to the nearest health store that sells it and try some for yourself! 😉

Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Amazake

Hey guys! This time around we’ve decided to take our shot at Japanese beverages for the reminder of the month in our D&A’s Talkin’ Snack sub-segment! This drink known as Amazake is a usually non-alcoholic drink made from fermented rice. It’s origins can be traced back to the Kofun Period and uses ingredients found in traditional Japanese foods such as miso, sake, and soy sauce. It’s also known to be quite nutritious and can also be used as a hangover cure (for ‘obvious’ reasons of course. *wink, wink*). If you haven’t had the chance to try this delectable drink as of yet, we suggest giving it a shot if you find yourself in Japan, or any natural food store in North America.

Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Anmitsu

This traditional style desert can be traced back to the Meiji-era of Japan when it was first created, of course in modern times Anmitsu can be commonly found on the menus of Japanese restaurants. It contains anko and agar which is a white translucent jelly, mochi, fruit, some ice cream, boiled peanuts, and chestnuts. (With a small pot of black syrup served on the side.) A dish like this is usualy associated with days where the weather is warm; like late Spring or early Summer. If you ever get the chance to go to Japan, this is one of the dishes that we recommend that you try before flying back! 😉

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Umaibo

Welcome back to another Monday night segment of Talkin’ Snack presented by D&A! If you’re familiar with the cheesy corn puff snack that we all know as Cheetos, then check out this little snack from Japan known as Uamibo. It was produced by Riska and sold by Yaokin, with its price in Yen usualy around 10, but lately it has been known to change without notice. There are various flavors of Umaibo; such as Cheese, Salad, and Mentaiko, with sweet flavors such as Chocolate, Caramel, and Cocoa. Some of these flavors are only available within certain regions of Japan, so depending on which region you fly to, you might be able find the flavor of Umaibo that you’ve been looking for at one of the local tourist spots.

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Coffee Jelly

Can you imagine your favorite flavor of Jell-O and your favorite Starbucks Coffee flavor in the same glass? Well now you can! Coffee Jelly is a well-known snack in Japan by way of England, and was once well-known in both British and American cookbooks. The actual recipe for coffee jelly came around in British/England cookbooks in 1817, but it wasn’t until the Taisho Period (1912-1926) in Japan that coffee jelly really took off in popularity. The cool thing about this snack is that you don’t have to go directly to Japan to get it (though it’s quite popular today), but it is still sold in Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts at a place called Durgin-Park. So if you haven’t gotten the chance to try some coffee jelly yet, you can head to Rhode Island, Boston, or fly to Japan and grab a cup! Bon-Appetit! 😉

Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Daifuku

This Japanese confection is quite popular in Japan as its name literally meant “great luck”. Daifuku (also known as Daifukumochi) are small glutinous rice cakes filled with a creamy filling that consisted of anko, or sweet bean paste. There are various forms of Daifuku out there, each being more tasty than the last. (Of course, we’ll leave that up to you to decide.) After the 18th century many people started eating this tasty creme’-filled treat toasted or cooked from the microwave. It’s also worth noting that Daifuku were also served as gifts during special ceremonies in Japan, so if you haven’t gotten the chance to try em’ yet, save up your money and fly to Japan and get some! 😉

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Monaka

Looking yummy to you already, huh? This my fellow snack-lovers is known as Monaka, a sweet sandwich made from two crispy wafers that’s usually filled with bean paste or even during modern times, ice cream. (Which makes it that much more delicious if you think about it!) If you ever find yourself going to Japan for any reason; such as work, play, or a vacation, check out some of the specialty stores that sell this delectable treat and try one for yourself!

Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Senbei

These are Japanese rice crackers that come in different types of shapes, sizes, and also colors. The most traditional way to eat Senbei is to cook them, bake them, or grill them over charcoal. During the cooking process they might be brushed with soy sauce or a flavoring sauce of the like, as they’re wrapped with a layer of Nori, almost the same way that rice balls are wrapped. Where can you find traditional Senbei nowadays? In Iga City, Japan. (Of course they come in two different categories with sooo many types to choose from; such as sweet senbei, rice candy senbei, fish senbei, and a few others.)

If you’ve never had the chance to taste this lil’ treat yet, you can search the web on how to make them with your friends or family, or grab a plane ticket and head to the place that makes em’; Japan, baby! 😉

Rating: 4.6 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Castella

This delicious cake is now considered a Nagasaki specialty in Japan. It’s made using sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup, and is sold in long boxes that are 27 cm long. (Which isn’t as long as you’d think it would be.) The origin of this sponge cake actually came from Portugal in the 1600s, with Nagasaki being the only available Japanese port where foreign commerce was allowed. Not only that, but this tasty treat was presented by the Tokugawa Shogunate back in the Edo Period. (It always comes back to the samurai, doesn’t it? *chuckles*) If you haven’t sunken your teeth into this nice treat yet, find the nearest place that has it, and enjoy! 😉

Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Pretz

If you like Pocky then you’re gonna love this! Pretz is a snack that was made by the same creator; Ezaki Glico, that produced the all-too-familiar snack known as pocky. Even though the two are quite similar in a way, Pretz are actually seasoned instead of being dipped into a tasty coating such as chocolate or vanilla. There are three different sizes to choose from: Regular, Kids, and Giant, of course there’s also a multitude of flavors from pizza, to wine and cheese. If you haven’t had the chance to snag this snack yet, get em’ while you can! (They’re delicious! ^.^)

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Kinoko No Yama

If you’re familiar with Pocky, then this tasty little snack is pretty much the mushroom version of it. Kinoko No Yama is a mushroom shaped biscuit snack with two layers of chocolate covering the tip of the mushroom; one layer is a rich dark chocolate, while the other is a sweeter milk chocolate with the stem being made from a crunchy cracker. The brand name is from the same name as the creme’ filled cookies that we reviewed in one of our past snack picks. (Meiji.) So if you’re looking to get your hands on something crunchy and chocolatey, you could reach for a Twix, but why not reach for these tasty shrooms instead! 😉

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Dango

A sweet treat for all year round! Dango is a Japanese dumpling (Mochiko) dipped in a sweet topping served on a skewer, and usually goes great with sweet tea. There are several different types of Dango eaten during several different seasons; such as Kuri Dango, which is covered in a chestnut coating. With the weather getting colder and the threat of snow fast approaching, it’s nice to have a little snack like this handy. If you haven’t had the chance to try some Dango yet, grab a plane ticket and head to Japan as fast as you can! (Just make sure you switch some of your currency over first.)

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Choco Bananas

If you’ve ever been to a Summer festival in Japan, then you’ve probably already seen these tasty treats on the local streets. Choco Bananas are a street treat found in many festivals throughout Japan, that take place during the Summer. They are covered in chocolate and topped with sprinkles all while being served on a stick. This is probably one of the easiest recipes that you can make at home, plus you can customize your Choco Banana however you want. (Sprinkles, caramel, frosting, etc.)

You don’t have to wait until the Summer time to enjoy this tasty little treat. So if you haven’t gotten the chance to try it yet, head to your local grocery store and buy some bananas, your favorite sweet dip, some sprinkles, some sticks, and have the time of your life! (P.S. Try em’ after you freeze em’, we heard they’re great!) 🙂

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Melon Pan

If you’re wondering if this snack will taste like melons, then no. (At least, not the original.) Melon Pans are a type of sweet bun from Japan that consists of a sweet layer of cookie dough on the outside, with traditional enriched dough on the inside. There are many different versions of this sweet bun treat from good ol’ Japan, as its popularity has reached the regions of Latin America, China, and Taiwan. The appearance of the Melon Pan looks like that of an actual melon (or cantaloupe), but doesn’t really taste like one. (Although other variations of the snack are melon-flavored.) It’s not to difficult to make a Melon Pan at home, so if you haven’t had the chance to taste this deliciously sweet bun treat, grab the ingredients you’ll need n’ get cooking! (Or find the nearest store that has them.)

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Nabisco Japanese Oreo Cookies

First Kit-Kat bars and now this? Well my fellow snackonians this is what Oreo cookies look like when they’re crushed into a cookies n’ creme-like filling that is covered in chocolate. Japan has taken “Milk’s Favorite Cookie” and made it even cooler than ever; by making new flavors of the delicious creme that is neatly sandwiched between two chocolate cookies. If you haven’t had the chance to experience the new flavors and shapes of an old favorite, then find the nearest Dagashi or online candy site and order as many of em’ as you want! 😉

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Dorayaki

Pancakes are a nationally recognized dish all over the world, but this particular pancake comes in the form of a sandwich. The Dorayaki is a Japanese confection, that is a red bean pancake consisting of two smaller ones wrapped around the Azuki red bean paste. The concept of the name came in the form of a samurai named Benkai, who forgot his gong (dora in Japanese) at a farmer’s home who used it to fry pancakes. Dorayaki have also been used in a particular anime/manga known as Doraemon, where he himself is obsessed with the tasty pancake snack and has often fallen into many traps while pursuing it. Its a great snack to have in your arsenal during travel (along with any others), so if you haven’t had the chance to wrap your taste buds around this particular snack, find a place that makes em’ (or make em’ yourself) and enjoy! 😉

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Annie Chun’s Seaweed Snacks

Many Snackonians and at-home cooks are familiar with the name, and many of us have gotten the chance to experience her cuisines for ourselves. Annie Chun is one of the leading producers in gourmet Pan-Asian foods today, as she has given us confidence in the kitchen to make awesome healthy meals; including snacks. Annie’s roasted seaweed snacks are quite common in grocery stores across America; such as Giant, Target, and Walmart. They have three different spice levels from mild to hot, so if you’re not one that can take the heat, then the mild flavor would be your best choice. Anyway, if you haven’t already had the chance to try out these crispy seaweed snacks from Annie Chun, then be sure to grab a bag and try em’ for yourself! 🙂

Rating: 4.7 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Calbee Shrimp Chips

Who doesn’t love seafood, right? Well when you think of seafood the first thing that comes to mind is shrimp. Now that shrimp comes in a lovely potato chip bag known as Calbee’s Shrimp Chips! The company itself was found in April of 1949, and is a big major Japanese snack food marketer. A snack like this would go great with any drink, even of course the already popular Ramune’. So if you happen to find yourself in Japan, or somewhere in the U.S. that carries this delectable snack, grab a bag before its gone! 🙂

Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Meiji Hello Panda Creme Filled Cookies

We’re back talkin’ snack about our newest Japanese snack; Meiji Hello Panda’s creme filled cookies! The brand was first released in Japan during the Summer of 1979, and was also baked in Japan by Meiji Seika. The appearance of the cookies (or biscuits) consisted of a cartoon panda on the front playing a various sport, with the cookie itself made from a hollow shortbread layer, filled with the flavored creme on the inside. The type of flavors found are vanilla, strawberry, double chocolate, matcha green tea, and regular chocolate filling. If you haven’t gotten the chance to try out this delicious snack, then find the nearest store that sells em’, or look for an online dagashi site that has em’! 🙂

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Maccha Green Tea Kit-Kat Bar

You know the jungle! You’ve seen the commercials! You’ve even broken off a piece to give to your friends! Now the candy bar we all know and love is now in a brand new flavor; scratch that, flavors. The Kit-Kat bar is one of the most popular snacks in Japan right now, and if you think that’s not a surprise, then get this! There are over 15 different flavors of Kit-Kat all over Japan, in fact they’re wild n’ crazy about it! The only place where you can find this limited addition of this Kit-Kat bar, is overseas inside one of the airport convenient stores. If you ever get the chance to go to Japan, then we recommend trying out every flavor of Kit-Kat that you can find; including this flavor (Green Tea)!

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Ramune

Okay, well it’s not actually a dish, but its more like a drink that goes great with a Japanese dish. For any Dagashi fans out there, you know exactly what Ramune is all about! However for those who don’t know what the heck this stuff is, we’ll be happy to tell you. Ramune is a carbonated soft drink that was introduced by Alexander C. Sim, and was derived off of the word “Lemonade”. It’s not hard to spot Ramune; as it can be identified by its codd-necked shape. There are various flavors of Ramune; such as Grape, Orange, Melon, Strawberry, Pineapple, and a few others. Although its usually consumed during warm summer nights and outdoor festivals, any day is good for Ramune! So weather you’re a fan of Ramune or Dagashi (or both), you never wanna leave the planet without trying a bottle or this awesomely amazing drink! 🙂

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Our Snack of the Day is…Pocky

If you’ve watched anime long enough then you know that this delicious snack is seen everywhere! A. Goldman and I (Yours Truly) have had the pleasure of tasting this tasty snack on many different occasions, plus it goes great with some Ramune’ (which will be next Monday’s Dish). It was created by Ezaki Glico and was first sold in 1966. It’s a chocolate coated biscuit snack that’s named after the word “Pokkin”, and now it comes in various different flavors like milk, green tea, strawberry, cookies n’ cream, and more! If you haven’t tried this awesome snack, then get your hands on a box ASAP! 🙂

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars