Regular readers may be aware that we’ve done a fair amount of reporting recently on the unrelenting heat here in Japan and on ways to battle the sweltering temperatures. Naturally, eating cold or frozen snacks is one way to cool down, but now major Japanese dairy manufacturer Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. has now come out with an ice cream with a special ingredient that does more than keep you cool. The secret is a special ingredient that, although commonly used in cooking, is not what you would typically expect to find in an ice cream!
Morinaga’s new cool creation is a soft-serve type ice cream called the “yuki shio (snow salt) soft”, and as the name indicates, it contains salt — but not just any ordinary salt. They’ve added the unique “snow salt” made by salt manufacturer Paradise Plan in tropical Miyako-jima in Okinawa Prefecture.
This snow salt is produced entirely from underground sea water in Miyako-jima drawn from a depth of 22m (about 72 ft.) below ground. By instantaneously evaporating the water content of the sea water, a fine, powdery salt is obtained that retains the bittern (nigari) component (which is usually removed in the process of producing salt), making it rich in magnesium and calcium and also giving it a mild flavor. The salt even won a Monde Selection Gold Medal in 2012, so it really isn’t an exaggeration to say it’s no ordinary salt!
▼The beautiful white snow salt
The ice cream comes in a rich vanilla flavor that should go extremely well with the complex yet gentle taste of the salt. And if you have any doubts about putting salty and sweet ingredients together, the contrasting tastes can actually work quite well. Salty caramels are now mainstream, and don’t even get me started on what the combination of salty peanut butter and sweet chocolate in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups does to me. (It’s been close to two decades since I last lived in the U.S. and I still haven’t gotten over my Reese’s addiction.)
The “yuki shio soft” ice cream is available in 160ml (5.4oz) containers and is priced between 130 yen and 150 yen (US$ 1.30 – US$1.50). I have to say, it sounds like a reasonably cheap way to stay cool and also replenish your minerals as well, which is particularly important in hot weather when you can lose large amounts of salts through sweating.
So, if you’re feeling hot and clammy, this ice cream may be the perfect solution, and you’ll also get to satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time! Now, how sweet (or salty) is that? According to Morinaga Milk’s press release, the “yuki shio soft” ice cream is available only for a limited time, so if you see it being sold, you may want to try it while you have the chance.
Source: Tokyo Bargain Mania (Japanese)
Morinaga Milk News Release (Japanese)
Top Image: Morinaga Milk News Release
Inset photo: Paradise Plan website