Wakocha -flavored Wagashi

Have you tried Wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) before? Have you ever tried Wakocha (Japanese black tea) ? Both are very “Japanese”, aren’t they?

Now, more “Japanese” stuff, “Wakocha-flavored wagashi” is on sale at a wagashi shop “isshin” in Osaka. 

title   "WARAKU"

Many have believed that wagashi only goes well with green tea like Sencha or Matcha, but of course, it does really match with black tea, especially the one born in Japan, wakocha.

I’ve worked as a coordinator for the birth of this sweets. I would love to see many people enjoy this sweets with very delicate and gentle wakocha flavor.






My older post about “isshin”

l  http://japaneseteastory.blogspot.jp/2013/04/handmade-wagashi-at-isshin.html

l  http://japaneseteastory.blogspot.jp/2013/04/another-wagashi-manju.html

Selling like Hot Cakes

Pancake (or "hotcake") is the fad in Japan. It's just like your expression "selling like hot cakes".

We have been having pancake as a casual snack, but "the trendy pancake" is a bit different. More ‘fluffy’ and more ‘luxurious‘. People, especially young women, often make a long long line chasing after the snacks with lot of fruit and a heap of whipped cream on it, while saying “I should go on the diet." This is not consistent, ha, ha.

Japanese are renowned for health-oriented people, which is true to some extent, but not always. Maybe, they are hoping that drinking lots of tea might help burn off fat.

 

Wagashi Day -June16-

June 16th is “the Day of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) ” in Japan. I’m not sure how many people know that even among Japanese, but anyway it seems to be a special day for wagashi.

Why June 16th?

 

Around the mid of 9th century, an epidemic broke out throughout the country. In order to overcome this situation, the emperor then changed the era name and offered 16 sweets and rice cakes before the altar on the June 16th of the first year of new era, praying for people’s health and happiness. Because of that, Japan Wagashi Association designated this day as wagashi day in 1979 to pass down our traditional sweets.

photo by T

 

This year, June 16 is also Father’s day in Japan. Thank you, Dad and thank you, wagashi :-)

 

 

 

 

Kamairicha -Pan Fired Tea-

You know how to process sencha (green tea), don’t you?

Soon after the leaves are picked, they are first heated to deactivate its oxidizing enzyme of the leaves. Then, the leaves are rolled, shaped and dried.

 

How are they heated, then?

In Japan, steaming is a common method, but there is also another way, which is “pan-fired” (*accounts for only about 10% of sencha production) . Unlike steamed one, pan-fired tea called “kamairicha” has a distinctive aroma known as “kamaka (pan-fired aroma)”, which is great.

 

Actually, steamed type is more popular in the market, but recently, “kamairicha” has been paid much more attention especially to tea geeks. Rather than mass production, now is the time for something special and something unique. If you have a chance to try kamairicha, don’t miss it. You’ll love it.

 

Kamairicha

 

 

Karinto and Wakocha

There are various kinds of traditional Japanese snacks. Karinto is one of them, made of flour, yeast and brown sugar. Traditional flavor is usually covered with brown sugar and looks deep brown, which goes well with Sencha and Hojicha.

However, more flavored karinto have been on market. The new flavors include miso, sesame, honey, chocolate, cappuccino, wine chocolate and maple….Of course; matcha and matcha-chocolate are also available.

traditional Karinto

I guarantee the new flavored karinto are good with black tea. I love any kinds of black teas, but with those, I believe that Japanese black tea known as wakocha is the best company!