A unique local specialty, set to become a nationwide comfort food.
Pretty much every region in Japan has a specialty that’s beloved by locals, and oftentimes it’s exclusive to the area, attracting the interest of visitors from out of town. In the country’s third-largest prefecture of Fukushima, for example, you’ll find a lot of regional exclusives, but the one at the top of many visitors’ must-try lists is a bread-based treat called “Cream Box“, which is exclusive to Koriyama City.
It’s so famous that our own reporter K. Masami was looking forward to trying it on a scheduled trip to Koriyama recently, but when her travel plans fell through, her dreams of tasting the Cream Box were shattered. However, the gods must’ve been looking down on her because 7-Eleven just added a new product to its nationwide lineup on 17 September — the Milk Cream Box!
Masami immediately headed out to try the new product, and when she spotted it at her local 7-Eleven, there was no mistaking that this was the specialty item she’d been hoping to try, with “Fukushima-born Local Bread” on the in-store sign and “Fukushima Specialty” printed on the packaging.
Priced at 138 yen (US$0.97), this was in line with the Cream Boxes sold in Koriyama, which are generally sold at bakeries for 100-150 yen. The taste and shape of the sweet bread is said to vary depending on the bakery, so Masami was keen to find out what the 7-Eleven version would be like.
▼ It made a good first impression when she peeled off the protective film and saw that it didn’t remove a lot of the cream.
▼ Smaller and thicker than a regular slice of bread, its compact size and boxy shape gave it a cute appearance.
Taking a bite out of the Cream Box, it turned out to be much creamier than Masami had anticipated. The cream was thick and goopy but it had a light and refreshing aftertaste, making it feel more like a savoury bread topped with cream rather than a true sweet bread.
The slight crunchiness of the crusts contrasted nicely with the chewiness of the bread and the smoothness of the milky cream. Dessert lovers who prefer full-blown sweetness in their treats might find themselves a little disappointed by the subdued sweetness here, but for Masami, it was perfect, and she says she would’ve happily eaten two of these in one sitting.
The creaminess of the Cream Box is a definite standout, and is a big part of what makes this local delicacy so special. It’s comfort food like you’ve never experienced before, and Masami is pleased she finally got to taste it, although now she’s keener than ever to get up to Koriyama to try even more varieties there…and visit the local Poké-park as well.
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