Dear Non-residents of Japan,
I'm so sorry. It must be terrible, living in a place where you can't walk to your local grocery store and purchase Coconut and Pine Cream Pocky, then return to your apartment and happily munch your way through one pack of each, alternating between the two flavors (a maneuver which surprisingly does not replicate the taste of a pina colada), while watching the latest antics of Hard Gay on TV.
I just feel so bad, especially about the Coconut Pocky because really, the combination of biscuit stick, chocolate and tiny, chewy chunks of coconut is as wonderful as the time Hard Gay went to the Yahoo Japan headquarters and tried to convince them he should be the new mascot. The Pine Cream Pocky is pretty good too, tangy and yellow with little flecks of pineapple, but it's a lesser treat, standing in the shadows of its coconut cousin. Like the time Hard Gay tried to help that failing ramen shop -- it's better than most things, but not as good as it gets.
That's why my heart goes out to you, living as you do in a country where you can't see a grown man in leather short-shorts giving another man a ball-gag for Father's Day on primetime TV, and even worse, a country without tropical-themed Pocky. It's just sad.
Maybe watching some Hard Gay will help.
Your friend and sympathizer,
Anjali
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Comments (10)
I'm pretty curious about the Coconut Pocky ... sounds good!
I tried the Pineapple a couple of weeks ago at a party (a friend just returned from Japan). It was good, but not the best I've ever had.
Posted by cybele | July 8, 2006 3:21 AM
Oooohhh! Glad you picked these up! I was lucky enough to taste the Pine Cream....man, it's *HEAVEN*.
Glad to know someone enjoyed it as much as I did. :)
Posted by Sera | July 8, 2006 3:59 AM
I'd say if you like Almond Crush Pocky and coconut, you'll like the coconut ones a lot.
Posted by Anjali | July 9, 2006 9:21 PM
eeek gads!ifound strawberry Pocky sticks in my SOUTH TEXAS GROCERY STORE!!! [right next to the chinese fast food take out counter to be exact. i even did an impromptu happy dance and ohmygosh.]
Posted by laura dodson | July 13, 2006 3:06 AM
Congrats, Laura!
Posted by Anjali | July 13, 2006 10:35 PM
Just finished reading through your Japanese Candy Friday entries and what fun! What I would love to see are more pictures of the actual candy. Do they look always like the temptingly perfect confections depicted on the package?
Posted by kimothy | July 14, 2006 5:02 AM
Psh. Psh, I say! If I want pineapple, I'll go out into the pineapple field and pick one myself! If I want coconut, I'll climb up a coconut tree and get one myself! That is the joy of living in Hawaii! Pine cream and coconut pocky, indeed. Bah! Milk pocky is where it's at. Now THAT's exotic.
Posted by Erin | August 25, 2006 3:05 AM
My favorite Pocky of all time is the green tea flavored ones. Are they still available anywhere? Was in Japan last August and, alas, couldn't find them. (Fortunately, as you know, there were tons of other delicious and/or interesting foods to try out while there though! ;b)
Posted by YTSL | February 24, 2007 9:47 AM
I live in Canada, and I must say, there is quite a lovely selection of Pocky at my local Chinese grocery store (I
Posted by Tohnia | April 6, 2007 1:59 PM
Yes, I am unfortunate. It is a cruel fate for me that I must travel for as much as an hour away from my home in order to obtain this heavenly treat. Sometimes even three hours away to reach the nearest Japanese marketplace that possesses much more variety.
I've tried both. The coconut cream Pocky is more my taste while the pine cream didn't agree much with my taste buds. I do like the pretty boxes.
Posted by mei | July 7, 2007 2:19 PM