Not so smooth now…
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, but there’s a strong case to be made that automation is driving a lot of innovation too. As convenience stores and supermarkets have been introducing self-checkouts and automated drink dispensers, time and time again, people have been finding creative workarounds for them.
Granted, most of the time they involve crime, but there’s also a lot of potential for great ideas to be born too. In fact, one just occurred recently on social media using 7-Eleven’s relatively new smoothie machines. These involve selecting a cup of ingredients from the freezer and popping it into the dedicated machine to blend into a refreshing treat.
However, one free-thinker looked at their cup and said, “Nay!” Instead, they purchased a bottle of Mitsuya Cider – a carbonated drink similar to Sprite or 7-Up – and mixed that in with the chunks of fruit and other frozen ingredients instead. Thus, a new drink sensation was born and our reporter Maro went out to try it with three different types of 7-Eleven smoothie cups.
She bought a Strawberry-Banana-Soy, Berry-Berry-Yogurt, and Mango-Pineapple cup; all the flavors offered that day except for the more vegetable-heavy Green Smoothie which seemed a little too adventurous for this recipe. She then walked right past the smoothie machine and took them as is.
At home, she opened each one and poured some Mitsuya Cider in between the frozen chunks, which conveniently helped to keep the soda cold.
First, Maro tried out the Berry-Berry-Yogurt Smoothie for 330 yen (US$2.13). It looked outstanding, with large chunks of strawberry and blueberry with some banana in the mix and yogurt-flavored ice cubes.
It tasted just as good and the tangy drink was a perfect match for the sweet and sour fruits. The yogurt ice was slow to melt so Maro got a spoon and started eating it straight. It had a different feel from regular yogurt or ice cream and the whole thing was so filling she’d consider it more of a dessert than a drink.
Next up was the Mango-Pineapple Smoothie for 300 yen. Its deceptively simple name leaves out the other complex tastes like pureed carrot, passionfruit, and banana.
With the light tropical flavors, Maro was expecting this one to be a slam dunk, but she felt the combination with Mitsuya Cider was a little off. The two flavors just didn’t mingle to her liking, but that could just be a matter of personal preference.
The final one was a wildcard. The Strawberry-Banana-Soy Smoothie for 330 yen seemed daunting due to its inclusion of soy milk, which doesn’t sound like a good match to mix with soda.
Maro was happy to find her lowered expectations were completely wrong as this one was very delicious too. The soy milk adds a mellower sweetness to the drink that doesn’t clash at all with the other flavors.
As for the distinct taste of soy milk that turns some off, it’s barely noticeable in this concoction, and the plentiful banana chunks help give this a creamy feel similar to a Frappuccino.
Still, if Maro had to choose a favorite, it’d be the Berry-Berry-Yogurt Smoothie. It’s just a solid mix that’s sure to have mass appeal. If you want to try this for the first time, it’d be the most reliable choice.
There’s also a wide range of drinks to choose from for mixing with frozen smoothie ingredients. Maro took out some sparkling wine and made a fun little sangria with it.
Whoever thought of this idea truly was a genius and a reminder that rules were made to be broken… preferably for delicious drinks rather than theft, of course.
Photos ©SoraNews24
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