Japanese confectionery companies always seem to be on the lookout for the next great combination of tastes, and the shelves in supermarkets and convenience stores are often stocked with the results of these “korabo.”
Words like “suspect” and “amusing” come to mind to describe most of these products, but Morinaga and Pasco have teamed up to create a product that just may give the old peanut butter and chocolate combo a run for its money.
“Morinaga Caramel Shokupan” is exactly what it sounds like: the old-fashioned flavor of Morinaga Caramel baked into fluffy Pasco bread. The packaging is the same gold color as those familiar little rectangular boxes of caramel, and the immediate association with the mouth-watering taste of Morinaga caramel is anything but subtle.
The package exhales the enticing aroma of caramel when opened for the first time. The taste is the perfect amount of sweetness mixed with a faint coffee flavor and a hint of bitterness. Morinaga Caramel Shokupan is perfect with a cup of black coffee.
Toast the bread a little bit to make it even sweeter and more delectable. Instead of butter or jam, try honey or maple syrup atop the toast. The fragrant caramel and sugary topping produce a sweet harmony that is 20 times tastier than the bread by itself.
Morinaga Caramel Shokupan is only being sold in select supermarkets, and it is not available in convenience stores at this time. The few stores that do sell it have a plentiful stock, but it is difficult to figure out which stores carry the new product. (For the record, I called Pasco HQ, and they steered me to the Marusho in Yotsuya Sanchome in Tokyo)
It may be a pain to track down, but the taste of Morinaga Caramel Shokupan is absolutely worth it. Here’s to a korabo that actually works!
Pictures: RocketNews24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mWvEngX7M54
[ Read in Japanese ]
