Waku waku (Japanese onomatopoeia for excitement)✨
My souvenir from Japan this summer, wagashi (Japanese confectionary) from Toraya.
This wagashi is called the “Yokan”- kind of a hard jelly bar, usually based with beans and agar.
This seasonal yokan represents summer (August), and has its own name: “Mizu no Yadori / Water Haven”.
I cherished it too much, until giri giri (“at the last moment / just barely”) of its expiration date.
The beautiful blue motif!!!
Water & its sparkling bubbling foams🤍
Somewhat so nostalgic… I can clearly feel summer water from the simple design✨
As for the ingredients, it’s composed of agar (blue part) & glutinous rice flour (foamy part).
So so delicious… the sweetness is indirect, and texture is lighter than usual yokans without beans- more summer-ish✨
I followed the article in Toraya’s website, where they said they serve their yokan in 2.4cm thickness at their shops (though they also stated, there’s no rule, and you can have thinner/thicker/cube-cut etc).
One of the only situation where I take out rulers.
“Every slice is evocative of the crystal clear blue water of a spring or the ocean shoreline, glistening in the sunshine. On a hot summer day, the sound of waves or a small bubbling stream bring calm to one’s heart.” (from their website)
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
毎度、ぎりぎりまで大切にしてしまうとらやさんの季節の羊羹、すっかり秋ですが、夏のお菓子です。
この美しさ…。
お皿にのせてから、だいぶ長いこと魅入ってしまいました。
きらめく水面の泡の表現、静かだけれど動きのある水、夏を思わせる透き通ったブルー。
どこか懐かしく、もうちょっとで何か記憶が呼び覚まされるような…🤍
ちょっと前まで、生菓子や羊羹に正しい向きがあるかどうかなど特に考えたことがありませんでしたが、こんなに美しく究極な意匠、ちゃんと目＆心でも頂かないと！
ということで、再度天地を確認し、深呼吸・息を止めて集中の入刀です😳虎屋さんのウェブサイトにて、お店では“8分切り（約2.4cm）”とあったことを参考に、定規を用意です（※ちなみに、同記事では”特に正解はなく、極薄・さいの目等、色々な食感を楽しむこと”を推奨されています）😇
