Taste Test: Daiichi Melon Pan

With a chewy, slightly crusty top, and a fluffy, springy center, Melon Pan is an incredibly popular snack in Japan. Not traditionally melon flavored, Melon Pan gets its name from its shape-- round and crosshatched like the outside of a melon. Originally, melon pan was football shaped to resemble an oriental melon and stuffed with red bean paste. With the rise of other types of sweet breads, particularly one called “sunrise bread”, melon pan lost it’s red bean paste filling, and adopted a round shape leading them to more closely resemble cantaloupe (called a musk melon in most parts of the world).

Here at Maido we carry a variety of melon pan by Daiichi, a widely known brand of sweet breads in Japan. While nothing beats a freshly baked, or homemade melon pan, Daiichi Melon Pan is a very, very close runner-up. They are a satisfying, four-inch diameter with a chewy cookie topping sprinkled with sugar, for a tiny crusty bite. The interior bread is only mildly sweet but wonderfully fluffy so that it springs back against the teeth when bitten. Daiichi Melon Pan is the perfect snack for when you’re on the go and will definitely keep you sated between meals, or have it as a dessert for a wonderful sweet finish.

As a testament to its deliciousness, Melon Pan has a tendency to sell out very quickly at Maido. The best time to come to Maido for Melon Pan is typically Thursday evening, after the shipment has arrived and had time to be put on the shelf. At that time, not only is Melon Pan most likely to be in stock, but it is also at its freshest, having arrived just that day. To ensure the highest quality, we only stock a few Melon Pan on the shelf at a time, so if you don’t see it feel free to ask an associate for help. Melon Pan can be found in the bakery section along with other breads such as Japanese Milk Bread, an pan, kitagawa donuts, and more. Be sure to grab Daiichi Melon Pan on your next trip to Maido, along with other groceries and essentials.

Can’t make it to the store? For a limited time, Maido is doing online grocery shopping and delivery!