Monday, May 9, 2011

Will Miss #317 - sesame sweets

Ginbis animal biscuits for children, flavored wonderfully with sesame.

What peanut butter is to Americans, it seems that sesame is to the Japanese (also possibly to other Asian cultures). Our sweets are often infused with creamy peanutty goodness, and theirs with the rich, strong flavor of various types of sesame including both black and white varieties. Though you can get sesame treats nearly anywhere in the world, you find them much more prevalent in Japan, including in cheap snacks or those designed for children. Back home, I'm most likely to find them on top of a hamburger bun (and as someone who doesn't eat hamburgers, I'm not even going to consume them from that source).

I'll miss the ubiquitous use of sesame in Japanese snacks.