It’s the hottest season of the year in Japan, and that means it’s eel season. So, bottoms up!
A drink called “Unagi Nobori,” or “Surging Eel,” made by Japan Tobacco Inc., hit the nation’s stores this month. Its arrival comes just ahead of Japan’s annual eel-eating season, company spokesman Kazunori Hayashi said.
“It’s mainly for men who are exhausted by the summer’s heat,” Hayashi said of the beverage.
PHOTO: AP
Many Japanese believe eating eel boosts stamina in hot weather.
The fizzy, yellow-colored drink contains extracts from the head and bones of eel.
Demand for eel is so high that Japan has been hit by scores of eel fraud cases. In a recent high-profile case, two companies mislabeled eel imported from China as being grown in Japan.
The eel involved in recent scandals was prepared in a popular “kaba-yaki” style, in which it is broiled and covered with a sweet sauce. The ¥140 (NT$40) drink costs about one-tenth as much as broiled eel, but has a similar flavor.
Eel extract is also used in cookies and pies made in Japan’s biggest eel producing town, Hamamatsu.
(AP)
現在正值日本一年之中最熱的季節，也就是「鰻魚季」。所以來乾杯吧！
日本菸草公司發言人林和則表示，該公司搶在一年一度的鰻魚季展開前，於本月推出一種名叫「急騰鰻魚」的飲料。
林說：「這種飲料主要是為了曝曬在夏日高溫下的男性而設計。」
許多日本人都相信，大熱天吃鰻魚可以增強精力。
這種黃色的氣泡飲料內含鰻魚頭、骨的萃取液。
日本對鰻魚的需求量極大，因此鰻魚詐欺事件頻傳。最近一起受到高度矚目的詐欺案件中，兩家公司把從中國進口的鰻魚標示為日本本地養殖。
最近幾起詐欺事件中的鰻魚都被製成廣受歡迎的「蒲燒」口味，即以沾淋甜醬汁燒烤的方式料理。一瓶一百四十日圓（新台幣四十元）的鰻魚飲料，價格大約是烤鰻魚的十分之一，但口味卻相當類似。
日本最大鰻魚產地濱松市也會利用鰻魚萃取物來製作餅乾和派餅。
（美聯社�翻譯：袁星塵）
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