Bonito ice cream
Sweet and salty ice cream isn’t a new thing – just look at salted caramel or peanut butter flavoured ice cream. However, three Japanese companies recently teamed up to create bonito ice cream, their new take on a classic sweet and savoury dessert combination.
Umami-packed ice cream
The bonito ice cream is available for sale for a limited time at the Sakura Fes Nihonbashi 2022 event, and also at Micotoya’s official store in Yokohama. This unique fish-flavoured ice cream was developed by Seika Micotoya, Ninben, and Konel.
Image credit: Adriano
The bonito ice cream attempts to incorporate the umami-packed flavour of katsuobushi – tuna that is simmered, smoked, and fermented – into ice cream.
Katsuobushi is also more commonly known as bonito, which is typically shaved into flakes and used to create dashi – soup stock that is used in many Japanese recipes.
Ice cream series is a collaborative effort
Image credit: PR Times
This sweet and savoury dessert was born from a collaboration between three companies: Seika Micotoya, a greengrocer; Ninben, a bonito specialty store; and Konel, a digital creative agency.
The ice cream series is also a part of the Tsunagifuto project, which was launched in the midst of the pandemic with the aim of reviving the food scene that Nihonbashi, a district in Tokyo, is known for. The project seeks to create new and unique food experiences for consumers so that it will remind them of Nihonbashi.
Three different flavours that incorporate bonito
Image credit: PR Times
The ice cream series comprises three different flavours that all incorporate bonito. You can get a set of three small tubs for ¥1,950 (~USD16.02).
The Tsuyu no Moto Caramel x Dashigara Cookies flavour combines cookies and caramel with dried bonito stock to create a salty, brown sugar flavour.
Image adapted from: PR Times & Ocdp
The Dashi, Sudachi, Katsuobushi flavour features the intense umami of katsuobushi, accompanied by the refreshing acidic taste of sudachi, a Japanese citrus fruit.
Image credit: @muzina_shanghai & PR Times
Lastly, the Dashimaki Tamago flavour attempts to reproduce the taste of Japanese rolled egg cooked with dashi, but in the form of ice cream.
Bonito ice cream – a bold and unique flavour
Are you bold enough to take on fish-flavoured ice cream? Who knows, bonito ice cream may just become your new favourite flavour if you give it a try.
Also check out:
- Ice cream ramen in Japan
- Mochi ice cream ramen
- Drip-brewed soup by Kikkoman
- Strawberry and cream burger
- McDonald’s Japan’s sakura mochi pie
Cover image adapted from: PR Times
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