Thanks to Comedy PC Diary:
House Foods to Transform Curry’s Seasoning with Development of No-Fat Stock Cubes
It has been almost 50 years since the birth of household curry stock in Japan. But now a new product has arrived that will likely transform the flavor of curry rice, which has become a staple of Japan’s dinner tables as “the people’s food.”
Its creator is House Foods (based in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo). They announced on Feb. 3 that they have developed curry base that can be packed into cubes without using fat. Since it reduces the amount of fat included in the total base, it will bring out the aroma of the spices and the seasonings of the buillon that were hidden in the fat, making it possible to cook low-calorie, delicious curry.
The new curry base using this technology will be released March 6 under the name “PRIME Curry.”
Due to the progression of an aging society, in 2007 the number of single-person households will overtake the number of married-with-children families. The retirement of the “baby-boom generation” will begin, and the number of married couples eating as a couple at home are expected to rise. Even curry rice, which was considered optimal for cooking when dining with a large number of people, will be required to be healthier and have a more robust flavor corresponding to the increasing needs of people eating in small groups.
House Foods developed this new technology to meet those needs. The new curry has 25-30% fewer calories than previous curry products.
When the company applies for a patent for the new technology, it will also open a new production facility at its Kanto factory in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture at an investment of 2 billion yen. For the time being, the new curry will only be sold in Eastern Japan (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, and Shin’etsu regions) due to production limitations, but will debut nationwide next spring.
The “Prime Vermont Curry” and “Prime Jawa Curry” will both cost 300 yen before tax. House predicts annual sales of 3 billion yen.
“Prime Vermont Curry?” I wonder if anyone anywhere in the world really associates Vermont with good curry. Moreover, I wonder if Vermont curry contains a high quantity of maple syrup.
From the House Foods website: “This curry applies the health technique of apples and honey passed down from Vermont State in the American Northeast.”
Basically, Vermont’s famous for apples, not curry, and it’s the apples (and honey, apparently) that make this particular curry special.
If you’re really interested, Matt, I can pick some up for you…