06/12/2002 Entry: "Product > Lotte Ko-ume Candy"

Lotte Ko-ume Candy [link]

Umeboshi, as I found out the other day, first came about in the Heian period. This hasn't got much to do with anything, except that I found out some cool stuff about food in the Heian period while I was doing research at work for Ojarumaru toys. XD

Ah, food. Where would we be without it? Anyway, I digress.

J-List and Maruwa (US orders only, dangit) both carry this candy, but I was fortunate enough to find it at an Asian grocery in the shopping mall right near me. The packaging is cutely Japanese retro, and as the wrapper says it's designed to evoke that natsukashii (nostalgic) feeling.

Nostalgia aside (all I can associate it with is tamarind), they take some getting used to but are quite addictive as a couch munchie. They're very sour and a bit sweet at the same time, which you'll like if you enjoyed stuff like Lemon Warheads or sour gummies in general. I just wish I could find some actual umeboshi to put in my rice balls...