We love mochi (pronounced MO-chee), an Asian-American sweet with roots in ancient Japan.

For more than a millennia in Japan, mounds of pillowy rice dough have been stuffed with adzuki beans and other sweet fillings (photo #1, ice cream mochi, look similar).

A dough of pounded, glutinous (but gluten-free) sweet rice flour is steamed and kneaded until it becomes delightfully chewy and supple, with a velvety texture.

Fourteen centuries later, the sweet fillings were replaced by ice cream at Mikawaya, a Japanese confectionary in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

Mochi found their way to California-based Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, Ralphs and Safeway, and are now in their stores nationwide.

Here’s the history of mochi, from 794 C.E. to now.

For decades, most consumers encountered mochi largely as a dessert item at Japanese restaurants. Now, it’s expanding into the wider consumer marketplace.
 
 
GREAT NEWS: NON-DAIRY (VEGAN) ICE CREAM MOCHI

My/Mo, a leader in ice cream mochi, has a line of delicious flavors made with conventional ice cream (here’s our review).

But with trends to nondairy milks and sustainability, an addition to the line is Mochi Cashew Cream Frozen Dessert.

The ice cream is made from cashew milk. The line is certified gluten free and kosher (dairy) by OK, as well as non-dairy vegan and soy free. The flavors:

 
Mochi are versatile:

 
Here’s a store locator.

For more information, visit MyMoMochi.com.
 
 
MOCHI TIP: Before eating, let mochi soften until you can press them gently like a ripe pear. Gnawing on frozen-hard mochi doesn’t give you the real experience.

[1] Versatile mochi can be served casually or glamorized (all photos courtesy My Mochi).

[2] Four flavors made with cashew milk are dairy-free, gluten-free, kosher and vegan.

[3] Serve ice cream mochi whole or halved.

[1] That’s one big cookie! Here’s the recipe from A Cozy Kitchen.

Hey Cookie Monster, and the cookie monsters within us:

May 15th is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.

We’re going for this jumbo chocolate chip cookie, from A Cozy Kitchen.

It’s baked in a 12-inch skillet.

That makes it a family-size chocolate chip cookie. Bake one to celebrate today; perhaps you’ll have some left over for tomorrow (although not in our house!).

If you don’t have a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or a nonstick pan that specifies “oven safe”), here are some of our favorite normal-size chocolate chip cookies:

 
Where would we be without them?

Here are four ways to enjoy creamy iced coffee, from Pampered Chef.

Pampered Chef prepares it family-size, in their one-gallon Quick-Stir Pitcher (photo #1).

The pitcher, which has a plunger in the lid, mixes everything from infused water and sangria to powdered drinks. We use it to brew iced tea as well, and bring the pitcher to the table.

The pitcher fits in a refrigerator door.
 
 
RECIPES: REGULAR & FLAVORED ICED COFFEE

Ingredients For 8 Eight-Ounce Glasses

These recipes blend the half-and-half into the coffee, and include sugar. Ingredients may be cut in half for 4 servings, and you can omit the sugar to allow people to sweeten as they wish (or not).

Dark roast coffees work best for iced coffee.

You can substitute milk or nondairy milk for the half-and-half.

Make coffee ice cubes by pouring extra iced coffee into an ice cube tray. When you put the frozen cubes into a glass of iced coffee, it not only makes it colder; it prevents the ice from diluting the coffee.
 
 
EASY ICED COFFEE

 
 
CARAMEL ICED COFFEE

 
 
COCONUT ICED COFFEE

 
 
CHOCOLATE-COCONUT ICED COFFEE

 
Preparation

*1. PLACE the ingredients in a pitcher and blend. Use hot coffee for the coconut flavors so the cream of coconut will dissolve.

2. CHILL as desired and/or serve with ice cubes.

[1] Iced coffee in Pampered Chef’s Quick-Stir Pitcher.

[2] Coconut iced coffee (photo courtesy Peet’s).

[3] Caramel iced coffee (photo courtesy Pots And Pans).

Check out the different terms and types in our Coffee Glossary.