Society

Umami ice cream hits Japan's palates

Jun 28 (Nikkei) - Japan is a country obsessed with novelty flavored snacks, such as KitKats made with local specialties. It now has another one to boast about: a soft serve ice cream featuring umami flavoring derived from kelp.

Futaba, which produces soup stock for commercial kitchens, is behind the new product. The company says seaweed-derived umami, a Japanese term meaning savory, adds a rich taste to ice cream made with fresh milk from locally raised cows.

And the joy does not end there. For a full experience, customers can top their bowls with a puree of tomato and dashi, a usually fish-based stock used often in Japanese cooking, or with a sauce made from grapes and balsamic vinegar.

The 450 yen (about $4) treat is available at a directly run store in the Niigata Prefecture city of Sanjo, where Futaba is based. The tomatoes and grapes featured in the toppings are grown in Niigata.

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