Cream Box is a local B-class gourmet food that originated in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. This bread, made by spreading white milk-flavored cream on small, thick slices of bread and baking it, is popular for its almost dessert-like deliciousness.

Creamboxes are so familiar and beloved by locals that they are even sold in high school store stores.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of cream boxes.

Cream Box Features

The palm-sized slice of bread is piled with so much white milk cream that it almost spills out. The bread is cut a little thicker so that it remains stable even with the generous amount of cream on top.

The rich, full-bodied cream has just the right amount of sweetness and is easy to eat. It's the perfect size for when you're feeling a bit hungry. It's soul food, almost like a dessert. The Cream Box, which can be easily purchased for around 100 yen, is truly a local B-class gourmet treat.

Each shop has its own unique twist to their cream boxes, and there are also cafe au lait and red bean paste flavored ones.

Some stores cut off the crusts of the bread to make it easier to eat. There are also cream boxes made with Yamagata-style bread or round-shaped bread. Round cream boxes are popular for their cute appearance.

Another famous product in Koriyama City, just like the Cream Box, is the Rakuoh Cafe au Lait. It goes perfectly with the Cream Box, and it's a classic to enjoy them together.

How to make a cream box

Here's how to make a cream box at home. To make about 10 cream boxes, you'll need 250ml each of milk and cream, 75g of sugar, 35g of cornstarch, and 12.5g of butter. All you need is your favorite bread.

First, mix the sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Next, add the milk and cream to a saucepan and mix, then add the sugar and cornstarch.

Once you turn on the heat, keep stirring with a whisk to prevent it from burning. When it starts to boil, turn off the heat, add the butter and mix. Leave it to cool and wait for the cream to solidify. Finally, spread the cream on a slice of bread and lightly bake it in the oven to complete the cream box.

Making the cream is time-consuming, so it's recommended to make it in bulk. It doesn't keep well, so eat it as soon as possible. We recommend trying it with half the ingredients first. Cream boxes can be made at home, but it's a dish you should definitely try in Koriyama City, where it originated.

History of the Cream Box

The cream box was created in 1976 at a bakery called Romeo. At the time, there were few bakeries in Koriyama, so the baker created it because he wanted people to try something new that incorporated Western styles. The name cream box came from the fact that the bread is shaped like a square box and the cream is placed on top.

The Cream Box is a palm-sized, square slice of milk-flavored bread with a generous amount of cream spread on it, giving it a chewy texture and a gentle flavor. Although it contains cream, it is served at room temperature so that it is easy to eat and your hands won't get sticky when you eat it.

It has always been popular, especially among high school students. Since its release, the Cream Box has become Romeo's signature product and has spread to other stores.

Cream Box has gained attention after being featured on television. It was also featured at the B-1 Grand Prix held in Koriyama City in 2014, where it was not featured as a local gourmet dish, but it gained popularity after being promoted to visitors.

Cream boxes have become so famous that Fukushima is synonymous with them, and they have become such a beloved local bread that enthusiast groups such as the Koriyama Cream Box Orchestra and the Cream Box Club have been formed.

He has even received comments from people outside the prefecture saying they want to try it, but he says, "Cream Box is a bread that doesn't keep well, so it's best to eat it in Koriyama City." Also, since it's all handmade, it's difficult to mass-produce it.

However, in response to the desire of people from outside the prefecture to try it, souvenirs are now being sold. You can purchase souvenir boxed cream boxes at the Sanmangoku Koriyama Souvenir Hall inside JR Koriyama Station. The boxes feature the original character "Cream Bokkun," and are popular for their cute design and delicious taste.

Fukushima Tourism Information and Access

Koriyama City, where you can eat Cream Box, has many tourist spots where you can enjoy beautiful nature. Among them, Lake Inawashiro and Koriyama Nunobikikaze Plateau, which are filled with magnificent nature, are recommended.

Lake Inawashiro, where you can enjoy camping and marine sports, is the fourth largest lake in Japan. With an area of about 103 square kilometers and a depth of about 93 meters, it spans Aizuwakamatsu City, Koriyama City, and Inawashiro Town. It is also known as "Heavenly Mirror Lake" because of its clear, pure water. Lake Inawashiro is also famous as a place where swans come to visit, making it a popular tourist spot.

Koriyama Nunobiki Kaze no Kogen, located at an altitude of about 1,000m, is located on the south side of Lake Inawashiro and is in a great location. It is also the largest wind power plant in Japan, and is also called "Wind Plateau" because it is equipped with 33 huge windmills. The seasonal flowers blooming under the giant windmills are soothing. It is a tourist spot where you can enjoy sunflowers in the summer and cosmos in the fall.

Koriyama City, where you can enjoy both gourmet food and sightseeing, is located in the center of Fukushima Prefecture, making it easy to access other parts of the prefecture. Koriyama City is about two hours by Shinkansen from Tokyo.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive to Fukushima. Find the best way to get there.

Location of Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture

summary

"Cream Box" is a beloved treat in Koriyama City. It's just bread spread with milk cream, but it's that simplicity that makes it so addictive. The milky cream has a gentle, nostalgic taste.

The cream boxes come in a wide variety of flavors, including crustless and round bread, cafe au lait and red bean paste flavored, and are perfect for snacking on the go.

If you visit Fukushima, be sure to try the Cream Box.

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