Story about creamy caramel from Cocos Island Okinawa.
Caramel candy is commonly consumed sweets in Japan, but what about “raw caramel”, or creamy caramel? Creamy caramel is a type of sweets with fresh cream added.
Because of tenderness and sensitiveness, creamy caramel is not easy to be sold, especially in hot and humid Okinawa. However, Cocos Island Okinawa has created an amazing creamy caramel, which became so popular as a souvenir from Okinawa.
The name is Masan Mitchel. Masan in Okinawa dialect means “tasty”, which they have named after Mont Saint Mitchell in France, where creamy caramel was first born.
We have interviewed Cocos Island Okinawa to know more about their attractive products.
- QWhy did you start selling creamy caramel in Okinawa?
- A
It was around 2015 when we started selling creamy caramel. I was so impressed with the taste of a creamy caramel in France, and I wanted to create a great cream caramel in Okinawa. Our shop originally started as a souvenir shop of Chura Dama, a glass-ball charm, which became popular souvenir from Okinawa, but we also wanted to make a sweet that represents Okinawa.
- QWhat are the features of your creamy caramel?
- A
Our creamy caramel has five flavors from Okinawa: Plain, Mango, Coconut, Brown Sugar and Salt. When we mix and add heat into the ingredients, the flavor will be lost, so that we add some more flavor just before it is done to make it perfect.
Would you like to try one?
It is so incredible that the flavor is so rich! It is so creamy, but the flavor matches the taste very well.
- QI assume that everyone will like the taste, no matter if they are children or elderlies, Japanese or foreigners.
- A
I recommend creamy caramel to be slightly chilled to feel more flavor. Please be careful not to chill too much, as the caramel will be too hard.
- QWhat was the hardest thing in creating the creamy caramel?
- A
It took about 8-10 month to complete the recipe. The creamy caramel is so sensitive, so that a small, tiny difference in the amount of butter, cream, or even the temperature could change the taste a lot. To fix the taste, and to maintain it were the hardest part for us.
- QIt is difficult to maintain the quality because the creamy caramel is so soft. Did the creamy caramel gain popularity straight after it came to the market?
- A
We started selling with a demonstration on the main street of Okinawa. There were a lot of customers who were interested in our products as they can see how our creamy caramel is made. Then after sometime, a cabin crew, who has so many chances to come to Okinawa, recommended our product as her recommendation, which resulted in us selling as an in-flight souvenir.
I feel our creamy caramel has become a popular souvenir since this time.
- QA recommendation from someone who visits Okinawa so often is so convincing. We are introducing your creamy caramel as a sweet which does not contain neither Alcohol nor Pork-originated ingredients. Do you have any message for Muslims?
- A
Our creamy caramel only uses carefully-chosen ingredients, and as a consequence, we are so fortunate that any of our ingredients do not contain restricted ingredients. This is because our product can be enjoyed by much more people. We are not halal-certified, but we will be very happy if our product is enjoyed by our foreign customers, too.
Details about the product
- Depart Ryubo Airport JAL side / ANA side shop
Address: 2 Flr., Domestic Passenger Terminal 150 Aza Kagamizu, Naha, Okinawa
Open：7:00～20:30
- Cocos e-Shop
https://cocosisland.base.ec/
Price: 2592 yen for 25 candies
Picture Copyright: Cocos Island Okinawa.
Information as of December 2022. The product is not Halal certified, so there might be a small risk of contamination.