Happy Halloween! From Family Mart

Happy Halloween!

It feels like it’s been Halloween for months at konbini [コンビニ].

There have been so many products out and although I do like the little chocolate witches, ghosts etc. you can get on a stick like a lollipop, I am obsessed with bakery items.

Family Mart…

Oh, my God. I can’t stop talking about him, I mean it. Family Mart.

In my opinion, Family Mart is the only konbini worth talking about as far as Halloween products go.

These are my top four bountiful beautiful bread favourites that I’ve found during my Halloween explorations.

Funnily enough, I’d never tried a donut from any of the konbini and since I’m in love with Family Mart right now AND it’s a Halloween/Autumn-inspired version, I had to try it.

Yep, a sweet potato baked donut.

Satsuma-imo Baked Donut さつまいものベイクドドーナツ Family Mart ¥119
Satsuma-imo Baked Donut さつまいものベイクドドーナツ Family Mart ¥119

Oh God. It’s delicious. It’s gooey on the outside with glaze and then you bite into it and find a thin layer in the centre of sweet potato goodness. Oh man. I’m drooling again just thinking about it.

The other night on the way home from kagura (read too much chuuhai and too many beers), I was hungry and decided to try another product on my list: the tear-apart pumpkin bread.

Chigireru kabocha pan  ちぎれるかぼちゃぱん Family Mart ¥135
Chigireru kabocha pan [ちぎれるかぼちゃぱん] Family Mart ¥135

It was good and that’s not just because I was slightly drunk and hungry. It wasn’t too sweet and it’s soft and chewy like Japanese bread should be. Yum. But nothing like that donut..

I didn’t try the brioche sandwich simply because it has whipped cream in it and A. I don’t like whipped cream and B. my bowels would regret it. It’s a shame because the outside reminds me of a melon pan [メロンパン] with that crispy, sugary crust. Bummer.

And the top of my list which I’m yet to eat because it’s probably worth two meals in one, is the Danish Ring Chocolate. Sweet Jesus. It’s the size of a soccer ball with a giant Jack-O-Lantern face on it.

Danish ring choco [デニッシュリングチョコ]]
Danish ring choco [デニッシュリングチョコ]] Family Mart ¥276

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I now believe Family Mart has superior and is Number One for bread and baked goods. The range is good, they’re always in stock and they are constantly bringing out new products all the time. That’s what the Number One konbini should be doing. 7-Eleven, I’m talking to you. Or possibly… (is it possible?!) that Family Mart has taken over as Number One??? Plus, they’ve also revamped their packaging so now it’s all fancy. That’s also something the Number One konbini would/should do.

Anyway, last of all and this absolutely TOPS my Halloween… I discovered this week that there is a manga and anime called Konbini Kareshi [コンビニカレシ] meaning Konbini Boyfriend. Holy smokes! I’d LOVE a boyfriend who was as obsessed with konbini as me. Wouldn’t that be something? Two weirdos together! Anyway, that’s not the story, but for someone who has NEVER in her life, been interested in manga or anime, I am now a fan and am slowly working my way through this and others. For a general overview of the story, you can check out this link.

Once again, Happy Halloween from Family Mart!

 



Jade Brischke

Jade first visited Hiroshima with a group of her students from Australia and after falling in love with the city, vowed that one day she would return to live and work. It seems dreams really do come true! When she's not writing she's out and about with her camera, walking and exploring the streets or some may say, wandering aimlessly. She, however, doesn't believe any wandering is aimless. Jade blogs regularly at jackcrispy.com.