| Japanese food is a combination of art and taste. | | | | make sure to pace yourself as there is a grave |
| Its cuisine has a distinct flavor and appearance. | | | | danger of choking. Yes, choking. Good food |
| Lot of importance is given to the aesthetic and | | | | comes with a price. |
| pleasing presentation of the food and you can get | | | | Mochi is used in traditional celebrations as well in |
| a feel of the season and the mood of the chef | | | | Japan. It is used as an ingredient for a soup called |
| too. It is even believed that the food possesses a | | | | "Zoni" eaten on Japanese New Year's Day, and |
| soul. | | | | even to decorate Japanese homes (not the soup, |
| "Mochi" is a Japanese rice cake made by pounding | | | | the Mochi). During the spring and autumn |
| steamed glutinous rice (also known as pearl rice, | | | | equinoxes, when the day and night are at equal |
| sticky rice or botan rice) with wooden mortars | | | | length, sweet Mochi rice balls are cooked and |
| and pestles, then cut into blocks or molds. The | | | | relished while gazing up at the moon, imagining |
| sticky quality of the rice allows it to harden | | | | rabbits that are said, according to folklore, to be |
| quickly. The flattened and cut pieces are cast into | | | | pounding Mochi rice. |
| rectangular or round shapes and are readily | | | | These rice cakes are used in various recipes, but |
| available in the market. The hardened rice cakes | | | | the best by far is grilling small pieces that are |
| can be then boiled, fried or grilled, as they soften | | | | wrapped in bacon. Ask for "Mochi-Bacon" at |
| back into sticky substance with a crispy crust. | | | | Yakitori restaurants or Japanese Izakaya pubs. |
| They solidify quickly so they are to be eaten | | | | You simply cannot go wrong with bacon...and |
| while hot (usually with some soy sauce), but | | | | mochi. |