My Obsession With Wagashi Continues...

Yummy Ysuya

This week while walking through midtown I came across Minamoto Kitchoan a Japanese Wagashi store that specializes in Japanese pastries.  I knew the place existed as my friend had told me about it and had even bought me a few samples before our trip to Japan a few months back.  For some reason, the place had slipped my mind but lately I have been having cravings for delectable Japanese sweets as they had become an obsession while traveling in Japan.  So with a giddy step in my gait, I skipped through the glass door leading me into the promised land that would satisfy all my wagashi cravings.

Cute Packaging Ensures Freshness 

My first impression was the minimalistic approach that was taken with the decor, it did remind me of some of the specialty stores that I had set foot in while visiting both Kyoto and Tokyo.  The store is very clean and bright with several display cases holding the different types of treats.  You can buy the sweets individually or in boxes for gifts.  One of my favorite aspects was how traditional the store was as far as service.  the woman was very polite and placed all of my items in a very cute bag with a little cover on top to keep the treats from getting ruined from the rain.  Also when she took my money she put it onto a tray and then handed my money back to me on the same tray which is how it is done in Japan.  

Because the sweets are imported from Japan several times a week, they are more expensive then other pastries you may get around Manhattan for example in Chinatown.  To me, it's worth it as they are made in Japan with some of the finest ingredients and the presentation of the treats are beautiful!  They do have a stamp card available for frequent buyers.  For every $5.00 you spend you get a stamp and after 20 stamps you get a $5.00 gift card.  That is a lot of mochi, but after trying the treats I know I will have no problem filling the card.

Must Have More Kumquat Mochi!!!

I bought four different treats while in Minamoto Kitchoan: Tenkataihei a little fish filled with red bean paste, Ysuya which is a pancake filled with red mean paste (yes I love red bean paste!), a chestnut flavored treat that I don't remember the name of and my absolute favorite a mochi filled with white bean paste and kumquat.  The woman who helped me mentioned this mochi was her favorite and after eating it, I whole heartedly agree!  It was amazing and if they have a box of these on my return, I may have to take out a small loan to invest in a box! 

So thank you Minamoto Kitchoan and the green tea mochi ice cream for satisfying my cravings for Japenese sweets.  Lately I have been having withdraw and this is a perfect way for me to enjoy the sweet tastes of Japan while sipping green tea as I flip through my cherry blossom photos. 

Wagashi Unleashed!

The Magic of Red Bean 

Mochi Green Tea Ice Cream Bon Bons!!!

I Present the Mochi Ice Cream Bon Bon!

Every year around this time I start to get that strong urge to get the hell out of my apartment and NYC in general.  Why?  Because I feel as if I have been holed up in one building only to go straight to another one and become holed up again!  I can’t stand the cold and feel like a hibernating bear trying to find that one special den to keep my cold butt happy all winter long until the weather improves.  Look, I know the groundhog predicted only six more weeks of winter, but I know better, the little dude is usually wrong and I know how NYC rolls.

Yep, I Tore Into the Packaging Like a Wild Animal!!!

Recently I have been thinking a lot about my trip to Japan several months back.  It really is an amazing country with so much culture and tradition, beautiful temples and wonderful food, especially the sweets.   So while walking through my local Asian Market to pick up some red rice wine and water chestnuts I stumbled upon the freezer section.  I was happy to see my favorite shrimp dumplings and grabbed a bag but not before my eyes came upon an amazing sight…Mochi Ice Cream Bon Bons!  Yes, Mochi Ice Cream Bon Bons in six delicious flavors! Immediately I was struck by the mango and red bean flavors, but I knew what my heart really yearned for and dug into the back of the freezer until I came upon what I desired most, the green tea mochi!  Yes, I love green tea anything, it's a subtle flavor when used in sweets, but a delicious one.  I also contemplated getting the mango ones, but the price was pretty steep, $4.50 for a box of 8!  I understand that it is a specialized product so I paid the cashier and was off.

Bag to Keep the Mochi Freezer Burn Free!

Vulnerable Mochi

I won’t lie, I know it is strange to be eating ice cream when it is 26 degrees outside, but I was missing Japan and some of the yummiest treats I had ever encountered.  Well, I will say this, the mochi ice cream did not disappoint.  Mochi is a unique consistency and one that many people many may not care for.  Me, I had to walk away before I ate the whole damn box!  The mochi was perfection while the ice cream was the perfect light creamy flavor I expect from my green tea ice cream.  The bon bons are small, but that is normal for Japanese desserts as with most places in the world, the proportions are small in comparison to the insanity of American plating.

Sweet Mochi Goodness

Though the ice cream is expensive, I fear that in the next few weeks, I may drop around $15.00 for three different kinds as the Mochi Ice Cream has affected me much like coffee does, it is like crack!  This time I would like to get the Mango and Red Bean Paste Mochi along with the Green Tea; it really is my favorite.  Yes, they have flavors like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, but those are flavors I can get from the local freezer case everyday though not in mochi form.  I miss you Japan.  I love you mochi…