What I Miss About the U.S. Food

Dear Mary

Dear Mary,

Hi, how are you doing?

It’s been ages since I was in the U.S.

I’ve settled back into life in Japan and am fully immersed in it. Still, I sometimes think about my time in the U.S., even though it was less than a year.

One of the things I miss most about the U.S. is the food.

I’ve picked three foods that I miss and wish I could buy in my neighborhood.

It was difficult to pick just three because there are so many I miss.

No.3 Colorful Frosting Cakes

You might think it’s normal to see a big, vividly colored cake appear at a party. The cake usually consists of a sponge base with colorful frosting decorations on top. It’s cut into many pieces for the guests and often stays out during the party.

Here in Japan, it’s a bit difficult to find that type of cake. A typical “birthday cake” here is a fluffy sponge cake made by whipping egg whites or whole eggs, decorated with whipped cream. The cream tastes great but tends to soften quickly when left out, so we usually take it out of the refrigerator just before dessert. It makes for a nice surprise, but sometimes I wish I could display it for a while to enjoy its presence. Our cake colors are often softer (maybe because of our preferences), and the sizes are smaller (maybe due to oven capacity).

I love Japanese-style cakes, but sometimes I miss colorful frosting cakes because they’re so visually fun at kids’ parties or work events.

(From my research, the cakes I saw in the U.S. were probably frosted with buttercream or cream cheese frosting. I kind of like the combination of thick, sweet frosting and simple sponge.)

Oh, and I should add—it’s also really hard to find a pumpkin pie in Japan that’s as good as the ones I had in the U.S.!

No.2 a slice of bread

When I think of “toasted bread” in the U.S., I always remember the thin slices. They’re usually brown (whole wheat) and rectangular, and they get crispy when toasted. They pair well with cream cheese, butter, or the classic combination of peanut butter and strawberry jelly.

In Japan, if you go to a typical bakery, you’ll find “shokupan” (which means “bread for meals”). It’s usually square, about 4.9 x 4.9 inches (12.5 x 12.5 cm), and 0.7–0.9 inches (1.9–2.3 cm) thick. It has a fluffy texture and a slight sweetness when you chew it. It’s perfect for egg sandwiches, katsu sandwiches, or whipped cream fillings.

My kids sometimes ask me to toast “shokupan” until it gets crispy because they like the toasty flavor and texture. When toasted, it gets crispy on the outside but stays chewy inside. It doesn’t get as crispy as the bread I ate in the U.S.

“Shokupan” is great, but sometimes I wish I could also buy the kind of bread that lines the shelves of U.S. supermarkets.

No.1 a variety of cereal

The food I miss the most is breakfast cereal. While I can buy cereal in Japan, the variety is so limited.

In the U.S., I remember entire aisles dedicated to cereal, but in Japan, the cereal section is as wide as my outstretched arms.

I often ate “Frosted Mini-Wheats,” “Cheerios,” or “Cinnamon Toast Crunch” in the U.S. They might not be the healthiest if eaten every day because of the sugar, but I still like them and wish I could buy them for a snack. I can order them online, but they cost three to five times more than in the U.S.

I also once tried to find a healthier cereal that I would enjoy, but the limited selection in Japan made it difficult. I thought that if I could choose from the wide variety available in U.S. supermarkets, I might find something perfect.

That’s my top three list of foods I wish I could buy in my neighborhood.

There are more, of course—like American cookies, pizza from near our college, taco rice, and muffins. Occasionally, I can find something similar to what I had in the U.S., though sometimes the taste or texture is different.

What food would you miss the most if you couldn’t have it for weeks?

Well, I’m looking forward to your answer.

See you

I hope you and your family are doing well.

Thank you for reading this.

Until the next letter.

Best regards,
Tsuzuko

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Thank you!
Images and Photos in this article>>

Front image
Illustrations by Freepick

“Colorful Frosting Cakes”
Photo by Tilly Jensen on Unsplash

“a slice of bread”
Photo by Leti Kugler on Unsplash
Photo by topntp26 on FreeP!ck

“a variety of cereal”
Photo by Franki Chamaki on Unsplash

つづ子

この記事を書いた人

子ども2人の4人家族、40代半ばの働くママ。学生時代に英国・米国で留学経験（語学学校含む）あるが、仕事で使えない中途半端な英語力の持ち主。 日本で英国アロマセラピー資格IFPA取得。西洋医学全般、アロマ、東洋医学などに興味あり。