Harvest Moon Mochi

Normally my posts here focus on chocolate, but this one features Harvest Moon Mochi. Of course there is mention of chocolate, because chocolate happens to go very well with the vanilla pecan flavor.

Harvest Moon Mochi demo.

For those of you who have never heard of mochi, it's a type of rice cake made from short-grain sticky or other glutenous rice. It dates back as far as the tenth century when it was used in religious ceremonies. To make mochi, rice is pounded and formed into a flat shape, usually a rectangle, square or circle and either used as is or dried to be used at a later date. Don't think of a dry, tasteless rice cake when you hear the word mochi, though. Mochi has a rich texture and an intriguing flavor.

The fascinating and fun aspect about mochi is that when it's baked or toasted, the rice cake puffs up like the chest of a proud parakeet, leaving the interior moist and chewy while the outer surfaces remain lightly crisp. 

Folklore and some modern Japanese practices suggest that eating mochi gives you strength and increases your energy while warming your body. Because it's easy to digest, it is often prescribed to anyone suffering from digestive disturbances, but some claim that it even aids in the recovery of anemia and stabilizes blood-sugar levels. Pregnant women are told to eat it to give strength to both baby and mother. No matter what your beliefs are on the curative powers of mochi, it's simply a wonderful creation. 

You will be pleased to know that Harvest Moon Mochi is a healthy product created with no added sugar. In fact it's also wheat free, dairy free and gluten free. The ingredients used to make the mochi are 100 percent organic, vegan and non GMO. Though it's not excessively high in any one nutrient, mochi is traditionally known as a nutritious food that tastes great, so you can feel good about eating it. 

I hadn't tasted mochi for years. I remember trying some at one point and being underwhelmed, so I was pleasantly surprised when I sampled Harvest Moon Mochi, which is loaded with flavor and has a much nicer, less gummy texture than the one I had tried before. I prefer this texture; it comes off as less processed and more natural. You can actually see bits if the grains of rice, something traditional mochi makers insist is better, and I would have to agree. I'm suddenly a huge mochi fan. 

With Harvest Moon Mochi, you can make waffles without the mess of a batter, and they taste much, much better than any frozen waffles on the market. Plus, the smell fantastic while they are cooking! I was surprised how good something with so few ingredients can taste. Just places the small pieces of mochi on the waffle iron, and let it cook according to the manufacturer's directions. How cool is that? But the fun has only just begun, because there are a million ways to serve the waffle once it's cooked! 

Harvest Moon Mochi is unsweetened but has a delicious, delicate flavor that ends up being quite addicting. Both the texture and its flavor make you want to go back for more. I tried the cinnamon raisin and found it can be served in both sweet and savory dishes.

Breakfasts: Try your waffle mochi with yogurt and blueberry compote, peanut butter and fig jam, cottage cheese and crushed pineapple, eggs and bacon, butter and maple syrup or with sauteed spiced apples and Greek yogurt.

Savory dishes: Serve mochi with eggs and Swiss cheese, avocado and sauteed mushrooms, chicken salad, smoked salmon with cream cheese or tomato and fresh mozzarella and basil. 

Desserts: Top with cream cheese and strawberries, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce pr ice cream. Serve with almond butter, apricot jam and white chocolate drizzled on top, or try it with Nutella and whipped cream. If you want to get a little bit fancy, make some pastry cream and serve it with poached or canned peaches.

Harvest Moon Mochi

Vanilla Pecan Harvest Moon Mochi with salted chocolate caramel sauce. It's great a la mode too!

Mochi Pizza