If I had my way, I would own some property on the island of Coffee Rhumba. Not only could I dance in a tropical sunset under a palm tree to the smooth tunes of Coffee Rhumba, an album apparently put out by a cute Japanese lady circa 1965, I could also eat unlimited amounts of Coffee Rhumba chocolate, which would make me very happy indeed.
The Espresso flavor is milk chocolate filled with a sweet espresso syrup, a nice balance of bitter and sweet. The Cappuccino has a layer of coffee-flavored chocolate under a layer of fresh-cream-flavored chocolate; it's extremely smooth and the sweetest of the three. But my favorite is definitely the Coffee Nougat, which is milk chocolate filled with coffee-flavored caramel. I think I would probably swim all the way to the island of Coffee Rhumba in exchange for a coconut filled with coffee-flavored caramel. It's that good.
Once I arrived on the island, I would additionally demand a copy of the Coffee Rhumba album and a small record player upon which to play it. I would then find a palm tree, a sunset and a hat-wearing stranger, and dance the night away, fueled only by my coconut of coffee caramel and the rhythm of the rhumba.
Friends! Lovers of Japanese candy and '60s kitsch! I have an important announcement to make! Coffee Rhumba is real. Not the island, I totally made that up, but the album actually was released by one Sachiko Nishida and is still available for sale. As a special gift to you, dear readers, I present to you the song "Coffee Rhumba" in all its tropical-Japanese-1960s-coffee-caramel goodness. Enjoy!
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Comments (8)
You have no idea how I look forward to Japanese Candy Friday - your latest review plus the fact that it's Friday. Anyway... I absolutely love your posts. I will spend the rest of my morning pretending my cafeteria purchased coffee is a coffee caramel and that my cube is located on the island of Coffee Rhumba. You, by the copier, are you my hat-wearing stranger...?
Posted by mary b | August 25, 2006 10:54 PM
Holy cow! You need to mention the song at the beginning of the post so it can play in the background while reading your article! I can see myself there now....strolling on the beach in my hat, eating chocolate coffee candy, and looking for a beautiful girl to rhumba.
Posted by danielmick | August 25, 2006 10:55 PM
Envy alert! Coffee carmel! Wish I had a big bag. Now I feel the need to go to the mall and buy a bag of coffee jelly beans.
Posted by Gayla | August 25, 2006 11:15 PM
You post about the coolest things! I cannot get over how cool Japanese packaging design is.
Posted by Jessica | August 25, 2006 11:30 PM
Thank you for making my damn-I'm-practically-the-only-person-in-the-office Friday that much better--now I see that being alone means I can play this song loudly and on repeat.
Posted by Joanna | August 26, 2006 7:31 AM
Those look too delicious for words!
Posted by Mariko | August 27, 2006 8:47 AM
i was addicted to those little tirol candies myself when i lived in japan...i'd get 10 every time i stopped at a cash register (pretending they were for my kids). my favorite were the coffee nougat! say "chee-roh-roo!"
so happy to have found this blog and will come to browse often...i miss japanese craft culture where i am now.
Posted by tik-tiki | August 27, 2006 11:21 PM
OMG - I am totally working the Coffee Rhumba into my next office party mix tape. Molto fabuloso!
Posted by Lori Magno | August 31, 2006 12:13 PM