The Publics

Japan and Iran both have excellent snacking cultures that exist on opposite sides of the snack spectrum. As the Japanese are naturally inclined towards mass production and hi-tech innovation, their snacks come in a variety of easily consumed forms that range from complex potato chip flavours (fried mayonnaise, raw egg, etc) to biscuity micro-snacks like Pocky and Pretz. The Persians on the other hand favour healthier and more natural snack forms like sangak w/ tahini humous, peeled walnuts and unripe plums.

But one similarity both cultures possess is a love of milky soft drinks. In Japan, they drink Calpis, which is what you would get if you mixed skim milk with 7-Up, only the citrus has been replaced with a distinctive chalky aftertaste that reminds me of that dusty ol’ bowl of hard candy grandma used to keep on her end table.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, they go for Doogh: a sugarless mix of club soda and yogurt that makes for the perfect summertime cooldown. Yeah I know what you’re thinking - gross! - and it is. It’s quite possibly the most disgusting thing you’ll ever taste, but that’s irrelevant, because in the world of carbonated lactose-based beverages, it still ranks pretty high.

So if you’ve tired of the same old glass of plain milk and want to jazz it up a little, head on down to your local Persian market or Japanese convenience store and check out one of these exciting and calcium-filled ethnic drinks. In Vancouver, Doogh can be found at the European Delicatessen, and of course you can hit up Konbiniya for Calpis, Calbee chips, a half-decent selection of overpriced ramen and hundreds of other J-snacks.

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