It’s summer in Japan and that means everyone is on the lookout for ways to cool down and cope with the stifling heat. For many Japanese, relief comes in popsicle form, and one of the most popular and refreshing is the Suika Bar, literally “watermelon bar”, which featured in our recent Japanese convenience store ice-cream ranking.
But what happens when you have a craving for the crunchy watermelon treat and the blistering walk to the shops is too much to bear? Our Japanese reporter recently faced this dilemma and tried to recreate the popsicle with just the fruit instead. How will the humble frozen watermelon measure up next to its manufactured cousin? We bring you the answer to this summer’s most pressing question after the break.
Let’s look at the procedure behind the watermelon popsicle recreation:
1. Use a sharp knife to slice a nice big portion of watermelon. The Suika Bar is known for being a hefty slice of ice, so don’t skimp on the serving!
Make sure your portion has plenty of seeds showing. The seeds in the Suika Bar are actually little pieces of chocolate, so if you really want to go all the way in the recreation (of the recreation), you could replace the seeds with chocolate bits.
2. Make a cut in the skin and push through a popsicle stick or a wooden chopstick.
3. Pop the watermelon in a previously loved Suika Bar packet for added authenticity and then place it in the freezer for at least three hours to harden. Five hours is ideal to get a good crunchy texture.
The verdict? Delicious and sweet, with a lot more water content than the Suika Bar. The flavour was more subdued, which is perfect for people who want to eat a less sugary and artificial treat. It was surprisingly good!
So there you have it. Real and artificial watermelon slices fought it out in a battle of summer proportions and both stood their ground with pride. While the Suika Bar definitely isn’t going anywhere, thanks to its dedicated sweet-tooth fanbase, the humble frozen watermelon is a great option for those wanting a healthier alternative. Well done, watermelon. Well done.
Photos © SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]