mochi ice cream
japan
history
how it's made
Mochi Ice cream was invented by Frances Hashimoto, the president of Mikawaya, a three generation Japanese family run business in Los Angeles, that sold Japanese sweets and snacks. Hashimoto’s most famous invention was Mochi Ice cream, which she created in the 1980’s (Watanabe). Mochi Ice cream is a fusion of both traditional Japanese and present day American cultures (Makalintal).
Mochi Ice cream is a fusion of traditional Japanese Mochi, and American Ice cream. Traditional Japanese Mochi are rice cakes made by pounding Japanese gluttonous short grain rice, and combining it with water before shaping it as desired. Mochi in Japan dates back all the way to the Nara period, from 710 to 794 AD. Mochi ice cream however, is a fairly modern invention, that takes Mochi and wraps it around American style ice cream (Makalintal).
Fig.2. Hashimoto pictured with her creation
Fig.3. Yukimi Daifuku, is the most popular mochi ice cream in Japan
Fig.1.
