In Japan, novelty sweets mark the seasons
Cherry in the spring, chocominto in the summer
BRIGHT GREEN, chocolate-studded delights sprout on store shelves across Japan every year as temperatures rise. Chocolate-mint ice cream bars; chocolate-mint cookies; chocolate-mint candies, chocolate-mint bubble tea, even chocolate-mint bagels. On Instagram, fans post pictures of their favourite “chocominto” items, tagging posts “#chocomintou”, a play on words meaning the “chocolate-mint party” (as in political party). And then, as suddenly as they appear, the chocominto snacks are gone, wilting away at the end of Japan’s hot summers.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “The darling buds of Nestlé”
From the August 21st 2021 edition
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