Mochi, a no gluten, no cholesterol, all carb gelatinous rice ball. Plain, it tastes like you’d suspect rice flour would taste. With filling, like red bean paste or chocolate cream or matcha, it’s a one-squishy-sticky-bite with just enough sweet to call it a dessert. Sticky as in peanut-butter-sticks-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth sticky. The texture and stickiness varies according to the type of short grained white rice used for the flour. The end result can have a smooth or a grainy feel.
Mochi became a *thing* in the U.S. a few years back. From what I tried back home, unsurprisingly it’s not quite the same as here in Japan.
At Sengan-en, we ended our leisurely stroll through the home and gardens of the Shimazu Clan with a plate of Jambu mochi, a specialty of Kagoshima. Lightly toasted mochi topped with either soy sauce or miso glaze flattened and fitted onto bamboo sticks said to represent samurai swords. We picked miso glaze.
I was so busy showing Grubb the Japanese silk coin purse I had just bought I forgot to take a photo. I stole the one below from Japan.Travel.
Sight / taste confusion. Looked like lollipops. Eyes said pick one up and give it a lick. Nope, instead wrestle the flattened ball of mochi off the stick with your teeth and try to chew at least a couple of times before the gluey mess prevents you from opening your mouth ever again.
I had banana milk (thicker than milk, thinner than a milkshake or smoothie) to wash it down with.
Did I like the Jambu mochi? Why yes, yes I did. Did Grubb? Care to guess?
And here is my new coin purse.
