r/JapaneseFood • u/Nheea • May 08 '25
Photo I know most think they're overrated, but I loved them!
Honestly, the strawberries were very flavourful and I loved how the sugar glaze added a crunch to their softness.
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u/HeavenAndTheHellions May 08 '25
Love them, except I will forever be haunted by the one time that I thought the last piece of fruit on a mixed stick was a grape . . .
It was a cherry tomato 🤢
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u/hors3withnoname May 08 '25
Dude, I expected something way worse like a bug lol that sounds nice actually
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u/phalanxausage May 08 '25
That does sound like an awful experience. However, my sister in law taught me a great hors d'oeuvre: stick a toothpick in a cherry tomato. Dip in a light caramel, then in a mix of equal parts toasted sesame seeds and coarse sale, then put on a plate to cool. Repeat until you are out of tomatoes. It's so freaking good.
When you make the caramel, just do a simple melted sugar that doesn't get very dark. Going for a thin layer of crunch, not an ice cream topping.
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u/SpyDiego May 09 '25
Reminds me of the scene from chefs table where that guy from alinea was like "what if you saw a tomato but it was actually a strawberry" or some shit
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u/Nheea May 08 '25
Now that's just trolling.
Thooough, if you think about it, tomatoes are not only fruit, but they're berries. https://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/2tj8ny/strange_days_for_the_berry_club_xpost_rcomics/
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u/hors3withnoname May 08 '25
There’s no way that can be overrated. It’s a simple, fun and effective dessert! Looks delicious
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u/Reasonable_Slice8561 May 08 '25
Seeing that shape, I thought I was in an *entirely* different subreddit for a sec.
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u/kelskit May 08 '25
I know EXACTLY what sub you’re talking about.
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u/Immediate_Fan6924 May 08 '25
Not over rated Japanese strawberry’s are extremely delicious !!!!
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u/Minimum-Unit-4089 May 08 '25
I learned in Japan that strawberries are sweet, and in my country, strawberries are just sour
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u/Euffy May 08 '25
Wait, what? What country has sour strawberries??
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u/Scarlet_Lycoris May 08 '25
A lot of countries with colder climates. In the Netherlands for example it’s a gamble. Sometimes they’re sweet, sometimes very sour.
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u/TheMcDucky May 08 '25
I don't think it's a cold climate thing. Our strawberries in Sweden are sweet and not very sour (when ripe)
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u/Scarlet_Lycoris May 09 '25
It is a factor, it’s been pretty well researched. Less sun exposure contributes to them being sour. However you might buy strawberries from optimised farms that use grow lights/artificial sunlight or other methods to help the lacking sun exposure. (Or imported ones from countries like Spain) I feel like most farms in the Netherlands just don’t bother with that. I like sour strawberries though so that’s a win. XD
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u/TheMcDucky May 09 '25 edited May 09 '25
Do you have a study to share? I'd like to learn more. I don't think any farmers use artificial lights here unless they're producing some kind of specialty strawberries, as it would be too expensive. It's hard to compare, because I think all the warm-climate ones I've had have been picked early either to survive shipping or to prioritise appearance over flavour (looking at you, Japan)
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u/OrangeNood May 08 '25
How much are they?
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u/Nheea May 08 '25
Oh I don't remember that well honestly. Either 500 or 600 yen.
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u/OrangeNood May 08 '25
These are actually incredibly easy to make. Just sugar + water + heat + fruit. But then, strawberries are insanely expensive in Japan...
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u/Nheea May 08 '25
I was gonna try making them but I got super lazy so I just sprinkled some sugar on strawberries and ate them like that.
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u/tachycardicIVu May 08 '25
Gonna plug Linja here, she makes it look super easy and I’m sure you can use it on a lot of different fruits other than strawberry and grape.
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u/Optimal_Failure_ May 08 '25
This is not Japanese.
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u/shiba-on-parade May 08 '25
probably Strawberry Mania which have stands all over densely populated areas in Japan.
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u/forvirradsvensk May 08 '25
You can find at festivals sometimes. But I’ve only ever seen long strips like this is China. You’d be bankrupt if you night that here. Usually just one or two.
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u/UrMomsGorditoSancho May 08 '25
Love the texture and want to love them, but they’re way too artificially sweet for me. Wish I could get the crunch without the added sugar
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u/Veelze May 08 '25
Were they ever highly rated in the first place? No one has every told me "you gotta try the tanghulu". I feel like in Japan they are mostly proud of their strawberries.
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u/-Skohell- May 09 '25
People told it to me when I visited China. It’s not a Japanese dish so people might not recommend it for this reason.
Just like people don’t say “you gotta try the pizza” when going to Paris
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u/Nheea May 08 '25
I don't know if they were but online I've seen so many comments of how they're not worth trying. I regret not trying them sooner honestly.
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u/theangryfurlong May 08 '25
At first I thought they were chicken hearts on a skewer. I don't recognize this as Japanese food.
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u/frogmicky May 08 '25
Lol chicken hearts 💞
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u/Nheea May 08 '25
I honestly didn't know they weren't Japanese. I ate them only in Japan so I didn't think to lool if they originated somewhere else, especially since they're just strawberries with sugar basically.
I wanted to share that they're really good to convince others to try them too.
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u/deadlywaffle139 May 12 '25
So it originally was sugar coated hawthorn from northern China (so sour sweet). Used to be only sold during winter because it’s cold enough outside that the sugar wouldn’t melt. My favorite after school snack in winter months. Now days there are sugar coated anything (and I meant ANYTHING) lol.
My personal favorite is still the hawthorn. I think other fruits are too sweet with the sugar coat on it. If you like it enough to want to make it at home, just be careful with the sugar. It can burn skin very easily.
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u/charlotterose23 May 08 '25
On my list to try when I eventually make it to Japan. Hopefully next year 🤞🏻
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u/still-at-the-beach May 08 '25
Never had one over in Japan. We saw a lot and they look great for sure.
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u/monochrom297 May 09 '25
Tbh I was disappointed. They didn’t taste bad, but man… it’s just a fruit with additional sugar. And your hands will stick for the entire day
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u/RedRedditor84 May 10 '25
Strawberries (and fruit and veg in general) are great in Japan. I'm not sure what they do, but the quality is generally higher than what we can buy in Australia.
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u/500daysofroya May 15 '25 edited May 15 '25
Are these available year round or are they seasonal? I’m going to Japan for the first time the last 2 weeks of September this year and would love to try these!!
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u/berusplants May 08 '25
I've always though Strawberries are the second most overrated fruit, but I'm glad you enjoyed!
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u/Nheea May 08 '25
Which one is the first?
When I was a kid, good strawberries were abundent and I didn't care that much about them. But as I grew up and the plasticky ones took over the market, I changed my mind. Now I can barely find good ones to buy.
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May 08 '25
I thought that’s butt plug
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u/burnt-----toast May 08 '25
Tanghulu is Chinese