MOCHI
Mochi is Japanese New Year and Japanese New Year is mochi.
These blocks of pounded sticky rice are made in this season and used as a decoration and as food.
mochi 101
my display of kagami mochi
A soup is made with mochi. There are many very different regional or familial recipes, many lovely original ingredients…
O-zoni (mochi soup), colorful
O-zoni, Kyoto style
Soba
Noodles eaten to pass the year and symbolize continuity.
toshikiri soba (2011, explanation)
toshikiri soba (2012)
toshikiri soba (2012)
Osechi Ryori, New-Year good luck dishes are old style dishes whose names, colors or shapes are linked with good things. Most of it is prepared a few days in advance with many different ingredients and displayed in big lacquer boxes.
Here is an example of home-made full menu :
the lacquer box
the Osechi menu 2011
kuri kinton
kuro mame
Osechi 1 : kazu no ko
Osechi 2 : kintoki ninjin and daikon for namasu
Osechi 3 : building a rice paddy
Osechi 4 : kohaku kamaboko fish cakes
Osechi 5 : chicken matsukaze
Osechi 6 : the vegetable box
Osechi 7 : tamago mosaic
omedetai, lucky grilled fish
Tai-meshi, a meal with Osechi leftovers
A tradition for January 7th
7 herb day
nanagusa okayu (7th day soup)
Little New-Year, women’ New Year… it’s a little forgotten.
And to finish with the mochi :
breaking the New Year mochi (done around January 15th)
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