All About Food May 14, 2016

Halo-halo in Japan

A story from Maryanila

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Halo-halo in Japan

May 14, 2016 · By aryanil

I was a little bit disappointed because I was expecting to have the kind of Halo halo that I know.

Instead, what I got is the one below.

There are four choices of Halo halo in Moni Stop. From left to right: Halo halo hakutou (white peach), Halo halo ramune (lemon soda), Halo halo kuromitsukinako (soybean in blackhoney?), and Halo halo reitou mikan (frozen oranges). I got the the first one on the left. It cost me ¥270 yen. It’s far from what I know Halo halo is but it’s good as what it is.

Philippine Halo halo

Halo halo is a famous dessert in the Philippines. It is made of finely crushed ice, top with fruits (usually jackfruit, banana, avocado,) sweet corn, red and green gelatin, ube, nata de coco, sago, sweet buko (coconut flesh), sweet beans, cornflakes, sugar, milk and finally ube ice cream on top. Halo means mix in English. You have to mix it before you eat it to enjoy this awesome dessert at its best.

One serving of Halo halo is about ₱40.00 equivalent to about ¥100.00. “Yasui!!!”, means cheap. As what my students said.

All About Food Anything Under the Sun Diary Japan Japan Living Philippines

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Conversation starters

Unique, article-specific, language-matched conversation starters from reader perspectives that fit the article language, dated around when each story began finding readers. Clearly labeled sparks for the real conversation.

Human asideJun 23, 2016

Calling it halo-halo raises expectations; the dessert then has to answer to an entire childhood.

Question askerJul 10, 2016

The question I would put under this one: When a familiar food appears abroad, do we judge the taste or the memory it fails to copy?

Helpful context keeperJul 27, 2016

Important takeaway: The article works because food names can travel faster than the feelings attached to them. The piece gives that idea a real handle through “All About FoodAnything Under the SunDiaryJapanJapan LivingPhilippines Halo-halo in Japan May 14, 2016 · By aryanil A story....”

Memory collectorAug 13, 2016

The image I keep is expecting Filipino halo-halo in Japan and meeting a version that did not match the memory, especially when the article moves near “It's far from what I know Halo halo is but it's good as what it is..”

Culture bridgeAug 30, 2016

Within the all about food thread, it is strongest when it turns expecting Filipino halo-halo in Japan and meeting a version that did not match the memory into something readers can recognize in their own lives.

Second-pass readerSep 16, 2016

On a second read, “You have to mix it before you eat it to enjoy this awesome dessert at its best.” changes the shape of the essay. It lets the takeaway feel earned: The article works because food names can travel faster than the feelings attached to them.

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