As the days get warmer, we can feel the arrival of spring.
On Saturday, February 17th, we held another parent-child wagashi class. This time, our theme was Hina-Matsuri (Doll Festival), also known as the Peach Festival.
We rented a cafe, different from our usual venue, and hosted more than 20 participants. We made Sakura Mochi (Domyoji – or Kansai style) and peach-shaped nerikiri. We made the Sakura Mochi from scratch, and the kids helped throughout the process. Everyone was intrigued by the gradual transformation of the Domyoji flour into mochi-like consistency.
For the peach wagashi, we collectively attempted the “haribokashi” technique to blend pink and white nerikiri to create a soft gradient. And the peach-flavored filling released a delightful fragrance when bitten into, spreading peach essence throughout the mouth.
It received rave reviews from the participants. Some even declared, “I used to love Sakura Mochi the most, but after eating this peach wagashi today, it became my favorite sweet.” That was really moving for me.
While we made the Sakura Mochi, I shared information about its origin and the regional variations. We all, myself included, were able to deepen our understanding of wagashi, even through simple explanations. Exploring wagashi for the purpose of sharing with others reveals many interesting aspects, doesn’t it?
Additionally, the cafe space we used was a Mongolian cuisine cafe and so we ordered Mongolian milk tea to enjoy alongside the wagashi.
Did you know that Mongolian milk tea isn’t sweet?! It contains salt instead of sugar! The taste was surprising at first sip, but the smooth texture and refreshing aftertaste made it unexpectedly delicious. Its lack of sweetness pairs perfectly with wagashi. The collaboration between Mongolian cuisine and wagashi is intriguing! It was another day where the potential of wagashi became clearer.
Thank you to everyone who participated. It was yet another delightful wagashi class. Let’s look forward to the next time when we can enjoy the world of wagashi together!
P.S. Since I had to speak loudly in front of a large audience, my voice was hoarse the next day (haha!)
Cafe Mongolia in Osaka was a great venue for this workshop. Thank you for collaborating with us. Who knew that Mongolian cuisine and wagashi were such a great match!
Be sure to check out their website too!