Scenery with Calpis / Please enjoy it at your preferred strength.
Ever since I read momo-san's article titled "My Calpis,"
I have been thinking about Calpis constantly.
Calpis might be a drink that reminds you not just of its taste,
but of time itself.
When I was a child,
a glass made just a little bit stronger.
Summer vacation.
The dining table where I spent time with my family.
The afternoons I laughed with friends.
Even without trying to remember,
it all comes back, scenery and all, in a sudden moment.
I realized it is that kind of flavor.
That is why this time,
instead of making "Calpis sweets,"
I wanted to create a Calpis scene.
That is what I thought.
—
The first thing I decided was,
not "let's make everything taste like Calpis."
Blancmange.
Peach marinade.
Rare cheesecake cream.
Freshly baked pie.
Each part,
delicious on its own.
And,
so that they can be enjoyed in any combination you like.
You don't have to make everything.
Even just one of them,
I hope it becomes a part of your dining table.
I aimed for that kind of composition.
—
While I was making it,
I had a discovery.
Apples are often used in peach-flavored sweets and drinks.
The apples, which I initially saw just as an ingredient,
started to look a little different halfway through.
That is when I thought of
apple tea.
Honestly,
I was skeptical at first.
But the moment I drank it,
I thought, "This is it."
Even though the outlines become a bit blurred,
mysteriously, the peach starts to look more like a peach.
It is not that the apple comes to the forefront.
But,
both the peach and the Calpis,
quietly bring out each other's outlines.
—
Looking back,
what I was thinking about the whole time this time was
the concept of "supporting."
Calpis is,
rather than always being the star,
a drink that gently supportsthe time spent with someone or the feelings of that moment.
That is why I, too,
did not want to strongly add anything,
but wanted to choose things that would quietly support.
Not adding raspberries.
Not caramelizing the pie.
The color of the bowl.
The color of the photos.
Looking back,
I feel like I only made choices similar to Calpis.
—
When I was a child,
Calpis was something someone made for me.
As an adult,
I choose the strength I like myself.
That change,
might be proof that I have grown up just a little.
But,
when I have children,
or when I suddenly remember the past,
my hand reaches for it naturally again.
Nostalgia is
not just for looking back.
Scenery I thought I had forgotten
can sometimes become the strength to start walking today.
Calpis reminded me of that.
So finally,
“Please enjoy it at your preferred strength.”
May there be a Calpis for each of your times.
—
Recipe
This time,
I am presenting the recipe with the premise that
“you don't have to make everything.”
Just the blancmange.
Just the peach marinade.
Just the rare cheese dip.
Just the apple Calpis tea.
According to the mood of the day,
or the intensity of your memories.
Please start from whichever you like 🫧
—
① Peach Calpis Blancmange
(3-4 small glasses)
Ingredients
* Milk 125g
* Heavy cream 35% 50g
* Peach Calpis concentrate 15g
* Sugar 10g
* Powdered gelatin 2g
* Water 10g
* A pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Soften the powdered gelatin in water.
2. Heat the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a pot. (Do not boil)
3. Turn off the heat and dissolve the gelatin.
4. Once it has cooled down, add the peach Calpis.
5. Pour into glasses and chill in the refrigerator.
Tips
The aroma remains better if you do not heat the peach Calpis.
This blancmange,
rather than making Calpis the star,
was an existence that quietly supported the whole.
It is a blancmange with a gentle warmth,
like white body temperature.
—
② Peach Calpis Marinade
Ingredients
* Peach 1
* Peach Calpis concentrate 20-30g
* Lemon juice 1 tsp
* Peach skin (for color)
Instructions
1. Wash the peach and peel it. (Keep the skin)
2. Cut the flesh into cubes.
3. In a bowl, combine the peach, peach Calpis, and lemon juice.
4. Add the peach skin as well. (Rubbing the skin will cause the pink color to seep out)
5. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Tips
* The peach juice will come out and become a sauce.
* The artificial aroma of the peach Calpis feels fresh with the raw peach.
* It is a great success if a faint cherry blossom color comes out from the peach skin. (It is recommended to use a peach with a strong red hue)
I separated just the marinade liquid into a different container halfway through,
and thickened it with a very small amount of gelatin.
A slightly ambiguous pink,
like something between artificial and natural.
It was a scene I really loved this time.—③ Peach Calpis Rare Cheese Dip
Ingredients
* Cream cheese 100g
* Greek yogurt 50g
* Peach Calpis concentrate 20-30g
* Peach marinade liquid 1-2 tsp
* Lemon juice a little
* Salt a little
Instructions
1. Soften the cream cheese.
2. Mix in the Greek yogurt.
3. Add the peach Calpis little by little.
4. Add the peach marinade liquid.
5. Adjust the taste with lemon juice and salt.
6. Let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
The target consistency is,
enough to drop off a spoon in a dollop.
When you put it on the pie,
it becomes like a light rare cheese pie.
A little saltiness brings out the peach flavor.
It also went well with roast ham and black pepper.
—
④ Thin Baked Pie
Ingredients
* Frozen pie sheet 1 sheet
* Powdered sugar a little
Instructions
1. Stretch the half-thawed pie sheet until it is about one size larger.
2. Poke holes with a fork.
3. Cover with parchment paper.
4. Sandwich between baking sheets and bake at 200°C for 15-18 minutes.
5. If necessary, remove the top sheet and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.
6. Once cooled, break it by hand and lightly dust with powdered sugar.
This time, I did not caramelize it,
aiming for a texture that would strictly support.
—
⑤ Apple Calpis Tea
Ingredients
* Apple tea 140ml
* Peach Calpis concentrate 60ml
* Ice as needed
Instructions
1. Brew the apple tea a little stronger and cool it.
2. Put ice in a glass and pour in the apple tea.
3. Add the peach Calpis, stir lightly, and it is done.
Tips
* The ratio is "Apple tea 7: Calpis 3"
* If you are concerned about the sweetness, make the tea a little stronger.
* I used LUPICIA's apple tea.
This was the most surprising combination this time.
Even though the outlines become a bit blurred,
mysteriously, the peach starts to look more like a peach.
It is not that the apple comes to the forefront.
But,
both the peach and the Calpis,
quietly bring out each other's outlines.
What left the biggest impression on me this time,
was actually not the Calpis or the peach,
but perhaps this cup I added at the end.
Even though it never becomes the star until the end,
before I knew it, it was connecting everything.
“Ah, I like this kind of existence.”
I felt like I was quietly taught that 🍎🍑
—
Even if you combine everything.
Even if it is just one of them.
Just as the strength of the Calpis we had as children
was different for everyone,
I would be happy if this dining table,
could also be enjoyed freely,
according to each person's memories and time.
Please enjoy it at your preferred strength🫧
—
Lastly.
I will leave here the article by momo-san that gave me the opportunity to create this scene.
Whether you remembered Calpis,
or you wanted to drink it for the first time,
please do read it.
Thank you very much 🫧
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-All photos were taken by the author-