Starbucks Japan releases new “torori” drinks exclusive to 7-Eleven convenience stores

A new limited-edition drink you can’t even get at Starbucks. Competition is fierce amongst Japan’s top three convenience store chains, 7-Eleven, Family Mart and Lawson, but right now 7-Eleven is edging ahead of the competition with a new tie-up Starbucks drink that you can’t get anywhere else, not even at Starbucks. Called Fruity Cheers Torori, […]

Starbucks Japan releases first-ever muscat-flavoured chilled cup drink

A brand new tea latte designed to lift your spirits this summer. It’s been 20 years since Starbucks debuted its “Chilled Cup” series of drinks in Japan, ahead of any other country, and although there’s been a lot of limited-edition flavours in that time, one ingredient has always been missing: Muscat. Associated in Japan with premium […]

Krispy Kreme releases a new Doughwich… at only one store in Japan

An exclusive doughnut you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Krispy Kreme Japan loves to cater to the local market with sweet exclusives, and it zooms in even further by catering to a micro market, with special doughnuts limited to regional stores. Known as the “Krispy Kreme Premium” series, these regional exclusives were previously […]

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Pomiferous: database featuring more than 7,000 apple varieties

Pomiferous is the world's most extensive database of apples, containing information regarding more than 7,000 varieties. They're organized by name, pollination group, harvest period, and other characteristics.

Pomiferous is brought to you by two great friends each bringing their own unique skills, background, energy and imagination to a site that we hope will be of use to apple enthusiasts.

—…

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Learning About Preserving Strawberry Freshness

I came across a blog post by Chris Glass titled Strawberries were on sale. Having not long ago published an article about once purchasing out-of-season cherries on sale. I had to open. While Mr. Glass’ post came as advertised, I found a tip. After purchasing his for-sale strawberries, he soaked them in one part white vinegar and three parts water for 10 minutes to “extend their freshness.” I have…

Learning About Preserving Strawberry Freshness

I came across a blog post by Chris Glass titled Strawberries were on sale. Having not long ago published an article about once purchasing out-of-season cherries on sale. I had to open. While Mr. Glass’ post came as advertised, I found a tip. After purchasing his for-sale strawberries, he soaked them in one part white vinegar […]

Autumn’s best produce to bring into your kitchen right now

There is something quietly magical about autumn in South Africa. The rush of summer slows, the air turns crisp, and suddenly the kitchen starts calling again. It is the season of roasting trays, bubbling pots and meals that feel like a warm hug after a long day. And then there is the produce. Oh, the [...]

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This Mother’s Day, why not give the gift of a single, really expensive, never-picked mango?

Get your mother the mother of all mangoes. Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and some of you might be in a bit of a panic, trying to think of the perfect present. You’re probably already given her some novelty fishing lures or a backpack shaped like a steak, and wonder what original gift […]

Learning About Zespri RubyRed Kiwi

I learned two things from Kat & Satoshi's April 6, 2026 post on Our Adventures in Japan (see the first). The post featured four photos. The last of four photos shows slices of yellow-orange-red kiki on a plate (see their kiwi photo). Granting that I am not a big kiwi person, every kiwi I have seen has been green. Through Wikipedia, I identified Kat & Satoshi's red kiwi as the Zespri RubyRed…

De frutas dramáticas a humanos imitando IA: entenda a trend que está dominando o TikTok

Se você abriu o TikTok nos últimos dias e deu de cara com um morango traindo uma banana, relaxa: você não está ficando maluco. As chamadas “frutinovelas” viraram febre global e são basicamente novelinhas dramáticas feitas 100% com inteligência artificial (IA), com direito a barraco, traição e até umas cenas… bem questionáveis.

A trend começou no começo deste ano e já chegou com força no Brasil.…

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This Superfruit Could Help Reset Your Sleep Cycle

The fuzzy kiwifruit is having a real moment. Sales are up, searches are up and all over social media, influencers are urging their followers to eat more of the bright-green berry. Why so much hype? Westerners seem to have caught up to the Chinese, who’ve long eaten the fruit more for its therapeutic uses than […]

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Joan’s Crunchy Strawberry Shortcakes

Joan Weed found this shortcake recipe on the back of a magazine and decided to make it her own. While the original recipe was for a traditional layer cake, Weed decided to take a more biscuit-based approach (with delicious results).

Ingredients:

3 cups sifted flour

4-1/2 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup shortening (butter)

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk (about)

2 tbsp melted…

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Why the kiwiberry might be the most nutritious fruit you’ve never tried

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For most of human history, the kiwiberry was valued for its flowers while the fruit was just an afterthought. These days, that seems almost hard to believe, given what scientists are finding. But the kiwiberry spent centuries being grown as an ornamental vine, appreciated for its looks rather than […]

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Starbucks Japan has a new Frappuccino on the menu, but does it really taste like a cream puff?

Starbucks goes strawberry crazy this spring, but is it a good thing? Just because you combine two delicious things doesn’t guarantee you’ll get something delicious. That’s something our reporter K. Masami has long believed in, but at Starbucks, with its knack for knowing what customers want, she finds she’s hardly ever disappointed, as they have […]

Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country

Rare, super-personalised Frappuccino gets a new look for spring. Starbucks is going fruity this spring, with the unveiling of a new limited-time drink called My Fruit³ Frappuccino Ripe White Peach. If that name sounds familiar to you, that’s because the My Fruit³ Frappuccino first made its debut in Japan in 2021, and quickly became one […]

The health benefits of Pomegranates

Have you ever considered why pomegranates are so popular and why they have been making a real comeback in the fruit bowl for some time? There are good reasons as to why. Pomegranates are these round, red fruits with a white inner flesh that’s packed with crunchy, juicy edible seeds called arils. Let’s explore the health benefits of pomegranates. They may be [...]

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Saitama is home to the best strawberries in Japan that you’ve probably never even heard of

Central prefecture quietly becomes the strawberry capital of Japan. It’s strawberry season again in Japan, but for people like our writer Tasuku Egawa that doesn’t mean a whole lot aside from some interesting baked goods at Family Mart. However, for people like his friend, who is a devout strawberry follower and has not only traveled […]

What in the World Is ‘Fluffy Juice?’

Froth is everywhere. Why it’s got us all abuzz is unclear, but the texture’s ubiquity is seen across all kinds of drinks, from Covid-era whipped coffees and cold foam-topped lattes to soufflé-like cocktails. But foam can also be created without cream, egg whites, or carbonation and, instead, from a fresh extraction. Enter: fluffy juice. Fluffy juice is the term for whipped fruit juice, liquid…

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