Sweet Olympic Award Ceremony

The Olympic spirit, derived from the international back-slapping in the various events, can inspire even those of us doomed to suffer through tape delays and commercials as NBC offers up events in piecemeal fashion. That is, given an opportunity. Students from Tamagawa University in Japan are currently studying English at Dakota State University, and they put on a little "Japan Night" for their teachers and hosts. Yours truly got a chance to show his chopstick talents, but my heat included a nimble-fingered blond gal that went on to win the championship. Still, I got a package of what the Japanese call candy. Check it out. Some of the hard candies tasted a lot like cinnamon treats, but these guys are notorious for offering up what looks like sugary treats, only to disappoint with something that tastes like candy without the sweet. Bite into one and it's like losing your grip on a spin from the high bar. But one of these was actually a piece of chocolate. Real chocolate. But things aren't always what they seem. The item in the lower center, for example, seems to be a kind of fish jerky, like a pork rind with fish flavor, rolled flat. And, although the dessert at the event was ice cream, the Japanese have their own ideas about how to top it: How's about some green tea powder? No? Some sweet bean paste? Okay, then . . . well . . . Soy powder? No? Black honey? Okay! Now you're talking.