This is one of those things I didn’t think would be different… But yet they were!
Pocky Chocolate Flavor
For those in Europe this product is normally sold as the very politically correct “Mikado”. It is supposed to be the same product. At least I thought it was. Until I took a bite. I am picky with my chocolate and this didn’t taste like chocolate. But first, what do you see once you open this box?
bag in box
I guess they come in another bag to keep the “pretzel” (It is not really pretzel… I am picky about that, too.) fresh. Okay, cool. No one likes soft sticks, right?
For those who have absolutely never heard about Pocky before it is basically a biscuit stick coated with chocolate with a part left uncoated so you can hold it without getting sticky fingers. This is what they look like:
Pocky sticks
As far as Pocky goes, it is one of those products, where you really get what you see on the box. Maybe the biscuit isn’t as golden as on the box but how long are you really going to look at the biscuit before it is vanishing into your mouth? Exactly.
Omnomnom…
Back to the flavor. Okay? Okay. This doesn’t taste like chocolate. I am sorry, but it doesn’t. At least not to me. I got the Thai version of Pocky (originally, Pocky is a Japanese product – it was sold there first in 1966) and I haven’t had Thai chocolate before but it doesn’t taste like the chocolate I am used to. This tastes like cocoa.
This is absolutely not a bad thing, it still is very delicious. But I don’t think it should be called ‘chocolate flavor’, it is more a ‘cocoa flavor’. When you look closely on the box it says: “Chocolate Flavour. Biscuit stick coated with chocolate flavour confectionery.” So, this definitely means it is not coated with chocolate. Just with something that is supposed to taste like chocolate.
The European version ‘Mikado’, however, definitely tastes like chocolate.
Here are the ingredients of the Thai Pocky:
| Ingredients: |
| Wheat flour 41%, Sugar 29%, Palm oil 15%, Cocoa powder 5%, Margarine 4%, Skim milk powder 3%, Cocoa mass 1% |
| Net weight: 47g (1.65oz) |
See? It is mostly plant fats with cocoa powder. Not chocolate. I guess what makes chocolate taste like chocolate to me is the milk part? I don’t think they put palm oil in our chocolate.
Are the preferences different? Does chocolate taste different in Asian countries? Or is this supposed to accommodate the supposedly bigger amount of lactose intolerant people in Asia? It still contains Milk powder, though… Maybe this way it doesn’t melt as easily in warmer weather?
Now I am interested if this is different for the original Japanese Pocky as well, and what is inside the European Mikado.
Unfortunately I can’t post any of the nutritional info. It is definitely printed on the box, front and back even, but in Thai. And I can’t read Thai, sorry.
If you want to know more about the Thai Pocky go here. If you want to know more about Pocky and its history in general go here.
Living with Food 