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Miso Hungry Podcast

Episode 2: Candy! And a giveaway!

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Japanese candy will ruin you.

It’s ruined both of us… it’s so good, we can’t help but be addicted.

Rice Candy
Rice Candy

Rice candy has always been Allison’s favorite. It has a yummy, light, citrusy taste, there’s a really cool edible rice paper wrapper that melts in your mouth, plus you get a sticker in every box.

And when a bunch of adult (children) get a hold of a bunch of rice candy stickers… things like this happen:

Allison with a bunch of stickers on her arm

Konpeito

Then you have the traditional, centuries-old Konpeito. Still made by hand, this colorful sugar candy is traditionally given as wedding favors.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Kit Kats

Did you know there have been 105 different flavors of Kit Kats made, 97 of which are completely unique to Japan?

Flavors like:

  • Aloe Vera
  • Aloe Yogurt
  • Apple
  • Apple Vinegar
  • Azuki (red rean)
  • Banana
  • Beet
  • Bitter Almond
  • Black Tea
  • Blueberry
  • Blueberry Cheesecake
  • Bubblegum
  • Brown Sugar Kinako
  • Cacao 61%
  • Cacao 72%
  • Café Latte with Hokkaidō Milk
  • Calpis (a yogurt-flavored drink)
  • Caramac
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cappuccino
  • Caramel
  • Caramel and Salt
  • Caramel Macchiato
  • Caramel Pudding
  • Cheese
  • Chocolate Banana
  • Chocolate Overload (milk chocolate outside, chocolate creme filling, and chocolate wafers)
  • Cola and Lemon squash
  • Citrus Pepper
  • Cookies & Chocolate
  • Cookies and Milk
  • Cookies PLUS
  • Creamier Chocolate
  • Creamy Apple
  • Cucumber
  • Custard Pudding
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Dark Chocolate with Cookies for adults
  • Daigakuimo (sweet potato)
  • European Cheese
  • Exotic Kansai (sweet chocolate with a sour mix of orange, lemon, and passion fruit accented with ginger)
  • Framboise (raspberry cheesecake)
  • Fruit Parfait
  • Ginger Ale
  • Green Grape Muscat
  • Gold (petits with fudge-like covering and dusted cocoa powder on outside.)
  • Golden Peach
  • Hazelnut
  • Hascapp (Hokkaido blueberry)
  • Houjicha (roasted tea)
  • Iced Tea
  • International Recipe (chocolate made from Ghana cocoa beans)
  • Itoen Juu-jitsu Yasai (vegetable enriched ‘veggie’.)
  • Jasmine Tea
  • Jyagaimo (potato)
  • Kobe Pudding
  • Kinako (soybean)
  • Kinako Ohagi
  • Kiwifruit
  • Kokuto (black sugar)
  • Lemon Chocolate
  • Lemon Vinegar
  • Mango
  • Mango Pudding
  • Maple
  • Matcha (green tea)
  • Melon
  • Mild Bitter
  • Milk Coffee
  • Mint
  • Mint Chocolate
  • Miso
  • Mixed Juice
  • Noisette (hazelnut)
  • Orange
  • Passion fruit
  • Pepper
  • Pickled Plum
  • Pineapple
  • Pudding
  • Pumpkin
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake
  • Ramune (a soda drink)
  • Raspberry and Passion fruit
  • Relaxation Cacao
  • Rose
  • Royal Milk Tea
  • Sakura (cherry Blossom)
  • Sakura Macha (cherry blossom green tea)
  • Semisweet
  • Sour Orange
  • Soy Sauce
  • Sports Drink
  • Sparkling Strawberry
  • Strawberry
  • Strawberry and Cranberry
  • Strawberry and Milk
  • Strawberry Cheesecake
  • Sweet Potato
  • Tiramisu
  • Tiramisu Macha (tiramisu with green tea)
  • Triple Berry
  • Ume Soda (plum soda)
  • Vanilla Bean
  • Wa Guri (chestnut)
  • Wasabi
  • Watermelon and Salt
  • White Chocolate
  • White Peach
  • Wine
  • Yakimorokoshi (grilled corn)
  • Yuzu
  • Zunda (mashed edamame beans)

We tried the Pumpkin Cheesecake flavor… which tasted more lemony than pumpkin cheesecakey.

Apparently parents in Japan give them to their children for good luck on test days.

Milky

Milkys, a sweetened condensed milk candy, are Rachael’s favorite.

Hello Panda

Hello Panda cookies are another childhood throwback for Allison, and one you’ve probably seen in a store near you!

kinokono yama murasaki imo

Why is Rachael making us eat purple sweet potato mountain mushrooms???

Allison was intrigued by them… and it turns out that those Kinokono Yama Murasaki Imo (purple sweet potato mountain mushroom candies) are ridiculously addictive… as odd as they may sound.

goma ame

On a whim, Allison decided we should try this Golden Sesame Candy… and now we’re both addicted. (Oops.)

They taste like those Chinese fried sesame mochi balls that are often found in Chinese buffets (and Vietnamese bakeries), plus Rachael has a recipe for sesame brittle that tastes pretty similar.

Milk Soft Candy

Rachael wanted to try another Milk Soft Candy that was pretty similar to the Milkys, except much softer.

Strawberry Hi Chew

Lastly, the classic Hi Chews.

(Which, by the way, are now officially gluten-free as of 2012!)

Hi Chews or strawberry milkshakes? It’s a close call… which would you choose?

If you just can’t get enough of the craziness that is Japanese candy, why not subscribe to get some in the mail every month?

(We think it’s a pretty cool program! And we’re not in any way affiliated with them… we just can’t resist more Japanese candy!)

But even better…

We’re having a giveaway!

All you have to do in order to win a fantastic package of all the candy we talked about today (plus a couple more bonus items) is leave a comment on this post! (If you’re listening to this on iTunes, make sure you go to the Episode 2 show notes on http://misofy.com/podcast !)

You have until 11:59pm PST on Monday, January 23rd to enter. One entry per person. Anyone can enter – we’ll ship internationally!

Good luck! ^_^

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  • Kimberly from Foodies Unite Jan 16, 2012 at 12:46pm
    SO cute - love this and you are doing a great job!!! Purple Sweet Potato Mushrooms!?!?!? Love this!
  • Stephanie @ kitchen frolic Jan 16, 2012 at 12:49pm
    OMG, I LOVE Japanese candy (and Chinese candy too) and I always have a problem just choosing a few to buy at the grocery store. I'm like Rachael - totally addicted to soft milk candies while my sister loves Hello Panda in all its flavours (and there's another version that has koala bears instead of pandas). Thanks for the contest (and thanks for shipping internationally!!!) Yay candy!
  • jourdan morrison Jan 16, 2012 at 12:49pm
    OH MY GOD my husband and I grew up eating those candies I'd KILL to have some! Super jealous!
  • jourdan morrison Jan 16, 2012 at 12:59pm
    Hi-chew's were my favorite as a kid in Japan, I'd give almost anything for a round of those guys!
  • Lillian Jan 16, 2012 at 1:41pm
    I love Japanese candies - I can find some of them at my local Chinese supermarket but have been dying to taste all the different Kit Kats. ;P I'm really intrigued by the mushroom-shaped ones too. Have you guys had milk candy that also have the rice paper on the outside? I actually don't like the rice paper so I usually try to peel most of it off. lol... I'd love to try the rice candy though!
  • Kenny Jan 16, 2012 at 1:42pm
    I definitely remember getting the little toy in the box of Botan Ame Rice Candy when I was a kid. Back then it was only available in japanese markets.
  • sippitysup Jan 17, 2012 at 10:20am
    miso wanna win! GREG
  • Marisol Jan 17, 2012 at 10:28am
    Wow such a great giveaway! you are sooo generous love the blog and the podcast! Now I have subscribed so I do not miss any of them! Yay! Good luck to all!
  • Pam Jan 17, 2012 at 11:13am
    I must say all these candies look very interesting. I would love to give them a try.
  • Erin R Jan 17, 2012 at 2:47pm
    I love Japanese candy - in fact it's been displayed in our gingerbread houses the past few years (This year we had the kinokonoyama chocholate mushrooms and the year before we had pink and white konpeito smoke from the chimney). Glad you like it as much as I do! -Erin
  • Big John Jan 17, 2012 at 9:19pm
    Love the podcasts. Japanese candy is so good! Might I suggest a mochi maker to save some hard work. Looking forward to the next episode!
  • Kirsten Spear Jan 19, 2012 at 12:43pm
    I'm a new new listener - just started this morning - and I'm loving your show! I miss Japanese candy so much!
  • ikkinlala Jan 19, 2012 at 6:47pm
    Interesting episode! I wish I had access to some of these here (especially the sesame ones, but maybe that brittle will work) and would love to enter the giveaway.
  • Alison Jan 20, 2012 at 7:43pm
    Awesome giveaway! My husband lived in Japan and got me into all things Japanese. I'm fascinated by those potato mushrooms.
  • Rihana Jan 21, 2012 at 9:08pm
    I can't get over all of those Kit Kat flavours. I've had the matcha and strawberry and milk varieties - both strangely moreish - but I'm not sure how keen I'd be on miso and soy sauce... A friend of mine in Japan used to send me boxes of candy. I don't think I could ever get sick of grape or melon Hi-Chews.
  • Caresse Jan 21, 2012 at 9:11pm
    How fun ! The Hi Chews are my personal favorite.
  • amber Jan 21, 2012 at 9:33pm
    I am amazed that some of those Kit Kat flavors actually sell passed an initial novelty stage.
  • Myra Jan 21, 2012 at 9:47pm
    Japanese candy all look so tasty! I've only personally tried the hi chews, but would love to try other varieties!
  • Rich G Jan 21, 2012 at 9:58pm
    I'm in. Japanese candy FTW!
  • Mika Jan 21, 2012 at 10:01pm
    Thanks for bringing back memories of candy from my childhood! I had forgotten about konpeito and I too LOVE rice candy!
  • Susana K. Jan 21, 2012 at 11:57pm
    Everytime I go to the market, I have such a hard time buying only one candy from the Japanese candy section. It's a bit agitating to know that I can't just buy everything on the shelves at once. Of course it gets even worse when I end up driving all the way to New Jersey from New York just to go to Mitsuwa(Japanese market)! Lovely giveaway.
  • Vanessa Jan 22, 2012 at 12:00am
    Awesome candies many that I haven't tried :P
  • Diana Jan 22, 2012 at 12:10am
    So many yummy candies! The Botan rice candy IS SO ADDICTIVE! But all those flavors of kitkats sound preeeetty good...
  • Sarah Jan 22, 2012 at 1:43am
    Yum! I love Hi Chews. Really wish we could get some of the different Kit Kat flavours in stores.
  • Jane Ko Jan 22, 2012 at 2:01am
    Great write up on Japanese candy! I had no idea that there were so many Kit Kat flavors www.atasteofkoko.com
  • Judy Jan 22, 2012 at 2:18am
    All of the candies look delicious! I'm craving some! :')
  • Grace Jan 22, 2012 at 5:50am
    I want to try all the different Kit Kat flavors!
  • mrsblocko Jan 22, 2012 at 6:07am
    Woah! Makes me want to take the long trek to the Japanese market. I'm always scared to try new candies, afraid that I won't like them. Now I know what to look for. Awesome giveaway too!
  • Burin Jan 22, 2012 at 6:14am
    Oh my gosh! I love Japanese candy so much and have been craving it since I've been living in Germany and it's not really available here. I hope I win!
  • kara Jan 22, 2012 at 7:30am
    i LOVE hello panda cookies! sadly, the japanese food store in my area shut down recently and i haven't been able to find a new supplier.
  • Suroor Jan 22, 2012 at 7:43am
    OMG!!!! I eat sweetened condensed milk out of the can!! Putting it in candy form is pure genius =D
  • Savannah Jan 22, 2012 at 8:38am
    They all look so good, I wish I could try all of them... Haha the Hello Panda cookies are so addicting x)
  • Angela Jan 22, 2012 at 9:39am
    This makes all the U.S. candy seem so bland, especially our traditional Kit Kat.
  • Julie Jan 22, 2012 at 9:58am
    I liked li hing mui (Chinese, not Japanese, but equally unique to my palate) when I visited HI, so I tried chan pui mui from a Japanese market here at home. Hmmm. Guess I'll have to keep trying. I haven't had most of your blog candies, but have seen some at the store. I hope to taste-test them soon!
  • Imran Jan 22, 2012 at 10:00am
    The mushrooms are the best, there is a store by my house which sells the regular ones. I have yet to see the sweet potato ones but they look pretty neat.
  • Angelica Jan 22, 2012 at 10:08am
    I love hi-chews, theyre soft and so delicious!
  • Ariel L Jan 22, 2012 at 10:39am
    If you love rice candy you should also try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rabbit_Creamy_Candy - it's a sweet rice candy that is covered with rice paper. These bags never last long at my house!
  • Molly Jan 22, 2012 at 11:19am
    I've tried variations on a few of these - must try the rest!!!
  • Lindley Jan 22, 2012 at 12:13pm
    All these are sooo different from American candy! I'd love to try them and expand my candy repertoire!
  • Priscilla Jan 22, 2012 at 2:14pm
    We love wacky/awesome Japanese sweets, too. There are a few available at one of the big pan-Asian markets around here, but most of the ones you've shown are totally new to me. Thanks for the chance to win a box of 'em!!
  • Justine Jan 22, 2012 at 3:45pm
    What a great giveaway! Loving the podcast so far!
  • Anne Jan 22, 2012 at 3:51pm
    These all look amazing-- the little mushroom candies are the cutest! They would look so perfect on a bouche de noel
  • Karolyn Jan 22, 2012 at 4:00pm
    What a fun post! I grew up eating Tomoe Ame and Botan rice candy--love this giveaway! Am enjoying your podcasts too. :)
  • ellen Jan 22, 2012 at 5:49pm
    Japanese candies are so great! I've always wanted to try the Milky candies!
  • Amanda Cottom Jan 23, 2012 at 7:19am
    I love Japanese Candy!!!!!!!
  • june Jan 23, 2012 at 7:55am
    OMG I LOVE ALL OF THESE!! I need to find that purple mushroom one---it looks ADORABLE!
  • anita b Jan 23, 2012 at 8:13am
    ooooh they look so pretty i wanna eat them!! imnotarunner at gmail dot com
  • Alexis Jan 23, 2012 at 8:52am
    What a fun post! Very helpful for those of us who haven't been brave enough to try a wide variety! :)
  • rachel Jan 23, 2012 at 10:03am
    i love asian candy i thought i knew alot about them because i grew up in china town but i have never heard of any those kit kats they sound amazing though!!!
  • lydia Jan 23, 2012 at 11:00am
    I went to Japan once and went crazy over all the different things they had to offer!!! Love it so much!!!!!
  • Mary J Jan 23, 2012 at 11:34am
    How neat, all those Kit Kat flavors!
  • gracie Jan 23, 2012 at 11:35am
    I had no idea KitKat produced so many different flavours!
  • Sheree Jan 23, 2012 at 8:27pm
    i <3 japanese candy! man i'd really love to try azuki kit kats!
  • Noreen Jan 23, 2012 at 11:04pm
    I remember hearing about how certain flavours of Kit Kats are only available in certain regions of Japan, and people travel around trying to collect them!! Milky candies and hello pandas bring back memories! The detail they take with packaging is amazing....
  • Brobest Jan 23, 2012 at 11:29pm
    I love the Hi-Chews. Was surprised at the Kit Kat variety. Can hardly wait to try some of these sweets! Miso Hungry!
  • [...] to Erin R., the winner of our Japanese candy giveaway! We love your idea of using Japanese candy in gingerbread houses. [...]
  • [...] you still craving Japanese candy after our Japanese candy episode two weeks ago? (Don’t worry, we are too.) If you want to get your crazy-flavored Kit Kat fix, [...]
  • lonee Feb 9, 2012 at 7:05am
    hi??
  • Kate @eatrecyclerepeat Feb 16, 2012 at 12:30am
    What about pucca??? Pretzel-shaped tako filled with chocolate!
  • kayla davis Nov 13, 2012 at 2:34pm
    yummy those candies loook so good!!!
  • […] (Don’t forget, today’s the last day to enter our Japanese candy giveaway! […]

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