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Mochi ice cream is a confection made from Japanese mochi (pounded sticky rice) with an ice cream filling. It was invented by Japanese-American businesswoman and community activist Frances Hashimoto with help from her husband, Joel.
A mochi (/ m oʊ t ʃ iː / MOH-chee; [1] Japanese もち, 餅 ⓘ) is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (もち米), a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape.
In Japanese cuisine, traditional sweets are known as wagashi, and are made using ingredients such as red bean paste and mochi. Though many desserts and sweets date back to the Edo period (1603–1867) and Meiji period (1868–1911), many modern-day sweets and desserts originating from Japan also exist.
Hashimoto expanded on the idea, offering seven flavors of mochi ice cream made by Mikawaya. [1] The mochi ice cream line proved a hit with consumers, expanding Mikawaya from more traditional Japanese pastries like chestnut buns or rice cakes. [1] [2] Mikawaya now sells its mochi ice cream in Albertsons, Trader Joe's, Ralphs, and Safeway. [1]
[3] [4] Kakigōri became more accessible in the 19th century, when ice became more widely available to the public during the summertime. [5] The first kakigōri store is believed to have opened in Yokohama in 1869. [6] July 25 is known as kakigōri day in Japan because of its pronunciation sounding similar to summer ice in Japanese. [7]
Frances Hashimoto is credited as creator of the popular mochi ice cream. [4] She also spearheaded the line's introduction to the American market. [2] [3] [4] Hashimoto's husband, Joel Friedman, initially conceived the idea of wrapping small orbs of ice cream with a coating of mochi, a sweet Japanese rice cake, during the early 1990s. [1]
Zunda-mochi has a long history dating from at least Japan's Sengoku period. It is mentioned briefly in the diary of Prince Gosuko-in (1372-1456). [7] Reputedly zunda-mochi was a favorite dessert of Date Masamune. [8] It is perhaps for this reason that zunda-mochi is often regarded as a speciality of Sendai.
Mochi ice cream sold in Japan. Ice cream is a popular dessert in Japan, with almost two in five adults eating some at least once a week. [citation needed] From 1999 through 2006, the most popular flavors in Japan have been vanilla, chocolate, matcha (powdered green tea), and strawberry. [20]