On The Dole

Sunday in Japan is 30% off icecream day at a few supermarkets here in Tokyo. It's usually my opportunity to stock up on the Haagen Dazs, and "ice candy".

It brings the cups down to about 198 yen. Haagen Dazs have brought out a few interesting deviations in flavours. I often get the Cookies & Green Tea, but I've also sampled the Salty Butter Biscuit, which tastes like slightly salted vanilla icecream, with shortbread biscuit, and Cream Cheese Raspberry, which really has a cheesecake taste! I've yet to try the pumpkin flavour but I'll be onto that shortly.

At the top of my list for best icecream in the world, you can't beat a gelato. One of the many things Italians got right. Just like back home, Italian gelato commands a premium price.

BUT

I found an excellent substitute right here in Tokyo that won't break the bank. Quite by accident I found this 6 cup pack of fruit icecream sorbets. The apple just tastes like, well, apples, so it's not the best of the bunch, but the peach and mango taste great. All for less than 400 yen. Nice.

The name "Dole" is quite funny because in British English, the dole refers to government payments to the unemployed. Maybe it quite apt then for Italian-style icecream on the cheap.

It's also cheap eggs day before midday, so I have to drag myself off futon with often bad hangovers to make the trip. Also worth noting is that a lot of supermarkets have a 100 yen day on Mondays. Things we do to eat around here.