飲み物 discoveries by sarah

a few weeks ago the lovely Australian Al left me a message on my facebook wall. she had stumbled across an article about a new Valentines Day Japanese drink that she wanted me to find and try out for her.

i gallantly accept any challenge. bring it on.

{if you have anything you want me to do / try for you before i leave Japan, let me know, don`t be shy}

i went to the コンビ二 `conbini` (convenience store) next to my subway station every day for a week until it finally arrived.

while i was perusing the drink aisles in my down time, i found these two beauties that i also decided to try out for you -

Vinegar and Milk... this was... how should i put it...

GROSS.

｛It tasted like weird grapefruit yogurt.｝

Love Mode Ginger...

this was acceptable.　But, you know... if it was there and I had nothing else to do, I would probably take a sip.

and finally, the grand moment of soft drink research... the Chocolate Sparkling.

When I first read the article Al sent me, I was suspicious. I envisioned myself on a sugar high to end all sugar highs. I`m not usually a person who craves sugar.

BUT, DAMN, this stuff is GOOD.

I took my first sip and thought... could it be?! is it really this tasty? and then, doubting my own opinion, i bought three more bottles and took them 1) to school, 2) to my friend`s house and 3) on a group date and made everyone try it and report back.

.

Crowd pleaser. 100 % success rate.

.

The marketing for this drink centres around Valentines Day... you see, in Japan, Valentines Day is a bit different to other countries. In Japan, only the girls give chocolates to the boys they like. And then, exactly a month later, on March 14th , is White Day when the boys pick the girl they like the best from all the Valentines Day gifts they got and then give that girl a chocolate. I think its atrocious. And sexist :p

.

Chocolate Sparkling is something girls are encouraged to buy for themselves for Valentines Day.

.

P.S. However, some boys might want to go against the grain and actually give a girl a chocolate on Valentines (gasp)... so new for this year are these 逆チョコ　`GyakuChoco` or `Opposite Chocolates`
DEFY tradition, boys! Do it!

THE END