hokkaido gourmet fair (part 2)

Remember I wrote about the Hokkaido Gourmet Fair held at a department store? (here) Well, on top of Satoshi's bento, I also bought some bagels made by Otaru Bagel. These bagels were interesting, gokokumai (5-grain) and earl grey.

These bagels were good and chewy. I particularly like the earl grey bagel. The bergamot oil from the bits of tea in the bagel were so fragrant and tasty.

I also got some herb tea from a company called Koyu-Seikatsu. I've bought this brand before when we travelled to Hokkaido. Their tea is certified Japanese organic and has many different herbs, one in particular is called Dokudami (Houttuynia cordata) I remember taking this tea while growing up, it was supposed to help with acne--but I think it is actually supposed to help you "go".

I was talking to the vendor at the kiosk and she was asking me if I had ever tried their tea. I told her, "yes" and she wanted to know if I had seen them at another fair that they had participated in Osaka. I told her, "no, I've bought your brand in Hokkaido". She was so thrilled that I remembered their brand that she gave me a free sachet of tea!

I guess it pays to be a foodie with a semi-photographic memory :)

Otaru Bagel
2-21-17 Shinko
Otaru, Hokkaido
Phone: 0134-51-3251

Koyu-Seikatsu
14-3 Kashiwagi
Kitami, Hokkaido
Phone: 0157-66-1201

Hope you had a great weekend.