First it was Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Quantitative Easing on Steroids. Now, Japan seems to be aping another cornerstone of modern American excess: deep-fried everything. That’s right: KFC Japan has just announced that it will start serving deep-fried corn potage fritters (for the layman, fried corn soup balls). Starting September 5th, Japanese KFC will be offering deep-fried soup!
While this news may come as a surprise to many Americans, it turns out that not only is deep-fried potage scientifically possible, but it’s quite the rage in Japan these days. Corn Potage fever has taken over the famously slim island nation, with upscale restaurants and 7-11s alike selling corn potage-infused potato chips, appetizers, and puffs. It seems that deep-frying the thick, goopy soup was the last frontier, and the legendary greasemongers at KFC were more than happy to push that envelope right into the bubbling fryer.
It’s not everyday that we see another country outdo us in terms of fat-infused delicacies, and it may just bring forth a spate of insecurities in our (admittedly clogged) American hearts. For starters, is Japan finally having their McRib moment? Is this an omen that American county fairs are losing their edge? And the most troubling thought of all: now that we’ve conquered soup, twinkies, beer, and ice cream, what’s left for us to deep-fry?