Yogurt!

[melonpan]

surely one of japans favorite flavors deserves its own thread!

we begin with the king of yogurt flavoured drinks, calpico. calpico water is a non-carbonated beverage. they come in the pet bottles and in aluminum cans.

<center><img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/040918calpicoWater.jpg">

<img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/040918calpicoSoda.jpg"></center>

im not such a fan of calpico water, but im helpless to the siren call of the carbonated cousin, calpico soda.

the orange cans are orange flavoured cream soda, the pink ones are strawberry and the blue ones are the original yogurt flavoured ones. i honestly like all three. i went without calipico soda for four years in dc bc they are so difficult to find. poor little old me!

[melonpan]

and how can you discuss yogurt flavour foods without yakult?

<center><img src = "http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/040918yakult.jpg"></center>

i remember when i was 7 i stayed with my aunts family in seoul. they got a delivery of yakult, two tiny bottles (80 ml, exactly like the bottles here) every week day.

with me being there one of my two cousins had to give up their bottles. the younger cousin gave hers up w/o a fuss. she was a finicky kid anyway and didnt care for it. but the other cousin who was my age loved yakult too...

one day i wanted to drink two bottles, so after i drank mine, i just stole his from the fridge when no one was looking and drank it up.

boy, i got in such trouble for that! but after that, i got both bottles. i dont think my cousin liked me very much...

nowadays, such yogurt drinks come in large 1 liter bottles... much more sensible sizes, dont you think?

[Hiroyuki]

we begin with the king of yogurt flavoured drinks, calpico.    calpico water is a non-carbonated beverage.  they come in the pet bottles and in aluminum cans.

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Does calpis (not 'cow piss' ) in Japan go by the name of calpico in the United States?

[Mooshmouse]

Does calpis (not 'cow piss' ) in Japan go by the name of calpico in the United States?

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It does in Canada. At one of Vancouver's more popular izakaya restaurants, I recently had a calpico/orange juice/vodka cocktail... yummmmy. Other flavours were also offered; clearly, I'll be trying them on subsequent visits.

[Hiroyuki]

Thanks, Mooshmouse.

As many Japanese in their 40s, I have fond memories of calpis. It was definitely a summer beverage. For several years when I was a kid, almost all of the summer gifts (o-chuugen) my family received were boxes of calpis bottles. It was that popular as a summer gift. Only the undiluted type was available then; the straight type was not marketed until 1991 (due to technical problems).

[jrufusj]

Does calpis (not 'cow piss' ) in Japan go by the name of calpico in the United States?

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I've never seen it in the US (will have to look when I'm back), but it is definitely "Calpico" in Thailand. When I lived in Bangkok, we had regular flavor, orange, grape, and lemon. I loved that stuff.

Here, I've only seent he regular flavor Calpis. If anyone knows where to get other flavors, please let me know.

Thanks,

Jim

[torakris]

Jim,

I have never had problems getting the flavored versions, though I am referring to the undilted ones that we mix with water at home. I can find them at any grocery store/drug store/liquor shop. My favorite are the grape (purple) and orange, though I have seen muscat, melon, etc.

[jrufusj]

Jim,

I have never had problems getting the flavored versions, though I am referring to the undilted ones that we mix with water at home. I can find them at any grocery store/drug store/liquor shop. My favorite are the grape (purple) and orange, though I have seen muscat, melon, etc.

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Thanks, Kristin.

Now I feel really dumb. I didn't realize there was an undiluted version. I've always bought it in soda cans or those little bags that vitamin/hangover/genki drinks sometimes come in.

I'll be looking next time I am at the store. Orange and grape are my favorites too.

Jim

[torakris]

Jim,

They will be either in cartons or bottles and will look like this:

http://www.calpis.co.jp/omoide/lineup/image/kyoho_p.jpg

The color will depend on the flavor, this one is my favorite, kyoho grape.

They are watered down at about 1 part calpis to 5 parts water so they last for quite a while.

You should find them on the shelf with other beverages, not refrigerated.

[torakris]

what about nomu yoguruto?

the drink yogurt?

My kids used to love this slightly thicker than milk drink of just yogurt when they were babies/toddlers.

I didn't really care for it, except for their prune version that was really good!

[Hiroyuki]

I used to make nonu yoguruto at home quite often when my children were younger. Store bought versions contain a lot of sugar, and you can make a similar one at home quite easily. Just put yogurt in a container, add sugar, stir until smooth, and add milk. (Some people seem to use a blender to mix them together, but I don't like the idea of using a blender to make such a simple drink.) This results in a much healthier version.

[melonpan]

one of the most popular flavours of hi chew: yogurt! it is one of my favourites. i am also very partial to the lemon cola... i heard that in japan, hokkaido melon is available and i am sick in my heart that they do not sell it here in the states.

<center><img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/040922hiChewYogurt.jpg"></center>

[Hiroyuki]

I'm not a huge fan of hi chew (is it the correct spelling?).

When I was a kid, I liked 'yogurt caramel' of Meiji Seika

http://www1.odn.ne.jp/~adg30190/meijiyogurt.htm

as well as this sweet, which falls into the category of dagashi (cheap confectionery?) in Japan

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/nonaka/494542/527481/

(Scroll down, and you will see three photos in total.)

Maybe I should start a new thread on dagashi, but I wonder if any of you are familiar with dagashi.

[melonpan]

When I was a kid, I liked 'yogurt caramel' of Meiji Seika

actually, that is in my queue to post up! :D ill post it now.

<center><img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/040922yoguruto.jpg"></center>

i also got a shot of meijis yogureto (and you will also see a bit of hi grape to the left and hi lemon to the right).

<center><img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/040922yogureto.jpg"></center>

i like the yoguruto but i have not yet ever bought the yoguretos (yoglette?).

Maybe I should start a new thread on dagashi, but I wonder if any of you are familiar with dagashi.

i would be interested to learn more! post please!

[melonpan]

calpis, aka calpico in some other countries, in concentrate form

<center><img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/041010calpicoConc.jpg"></center>

[melonpan]

caramel corn! pineapple yogurt (very yums)

<center><img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/041010caramel.jpg"></center>

[andiesenji]

There is a fast food stand in my city, Lancaster, Calif. that is owned by a "retired" couple, he is an African-American Korean war veteran and she is Japanese, ex school teacher, both in their late 60s. Their food is very diversified, from hamburgers and hot dogs to barbecue, tempura, shrimp, vegetable and tofu. They also make milk shakes and a combination of kefir and fruit soda which is blended like a milk shake.

They don't have this last item on the menu, however regulars know about it and order it.

I tried one and thought it was made with Kool-aid but Fumi showed me the soda cans which are entirely labeled in Japanese and I guess the color of the can indicates the flavor. I have tried the orange, the pineapple and cherry.

It is very good and should be simple to make at home. Kefir is certainly available just about everywhere. It could probably be made with yogurt also but Fumi says that the kefir comes out more like something she could get at home.

Could this be one of the drinks you are describing??

[melonpan]

spied, but not bought....

<center>honnori mint yogurt candies from kasugai

<img src="http://www.rawbw.com/~coconut/eg/04/041019mintYogurt.jpg"></center>

i kind of wish i bought it though. i really like the idea of mint yogurt.

[andiesenji]

In many middle eastern countries they make a drink with yogurt and mint.

There are commercial versions. The local middle eastern market sells a bottled product.

Here is a recipe for a yogurt/mint dip.

yogurt mint dip

[torakris]

Yogurt is one of the current health fad foods in Japan at the moment and I have noticed more and more interesting flavors coming onto the market.

Last week I picked up a ume (green plum) yogurt that was wonderful.　Each cup contained a whole green plum.

I just recently noticed Nakazawa has entered the yogurt market with a tomato honey yogurt. they also have a rhubarb one and a pomegranate one.

A couple times I have been tempted to try this marshmallow yogurt but I haven't yet.

Aloe yogurt is probably one of the most popular currently of the flavored yogurts.

What are your favorite yogurts in Japan?

What unusual ones have you run across?

[Radio7]

omigosh, rhubarb yogurt sounds fantastic! I hope someone reports back on how it is.

I'd go for marshmallow too - I'm a sucker for marshmallow.

[melonpan]

ive seen a lot of the sugar syrups marketed specifically for yogurt, including aloe and blueberry... i dont know the name of the products offhand. but they come packaged similarly to the squeeze bottles that kuromitsu comes in...

maybe its not sugar. probably something else like glocose or dextrose... what is it that japanese people use instead of sugar? i never tried it, but i think japanese people are more open to trying sweeteners other than sugar compared to americans.

i was tempted to try the aloe one... next time i drop by the market ill try to find it.

[torakris]

ive seen a lot of the sugar syrups marketed specifically for yogurt, including aloe and blueberry...  i dont know the name of the products offhand.  but they come packaged similarly to the squeeze bottles that kuromitsu comes in...

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There are tons of yogurt sauces out there mostly fruit flavored sugar...

Like this and like this.

[helenjp]

melonpan, could be Oligo sugar, which remains very popular here. Even my DH is convinced that it's good for him.

I like the aloe yogurt - it's surprisingly fresh, and not too sweet.

[_john]

I've had the aloe and I have to say ... it's good! But I don't think it really tastes like aloe. The one I ate had chunks of aloe in it too. very interesting.