souvenirs from Tokyo

In Japan every region has some specialty food or sweets. Therefore it is common for people to go on a trip and bring back some kind of regional souvenir. I never imagined Tokyo had such a thing, but apparently it is known for Tokyo Bananas.

To see what all the fuss was about, I bought some to share with my friends and students. Though, I must say, at almost 10 dollars for a box of 8... geez, that is something like 900% the price of Twinkies back home. Then again they are not packed with preservatives - the expiry date is 5 days after purchase! Paying for freshness, safety, and quality, a very Japanese concept.

Unlike Twinkies, the cake part was soft and moist, not to mention delightfully light like spongecake. Inside, instead of whipped hydrogenated vegetable shortening with sugar, I found a smooth banana custard. Woohoo, I am going bananas for Tokyo-nanas. The best part: because it costs so much, I didn't reach for a second helping, like I might have otherwise. ^_^