[1] Issei Mochi Gummies, all natural, vegan, and delicious (photos #1 through #5 © Issei).

[2] Vanilla Mochi Gummies. The small packages are portion-controlled and great for small treats and gift bags.

[3] Set out a dish with after-dinner coffee.

[4] Founder Mika Shino uses mochi to decorate a mini birthday cake.

[5] How about a mochi ice cream cone?

[6] Daifuku (sweet) mochi filled with red bean paste (photo © Morager | Deviant Art).

[7] Daifuku mochi filled with sesame paste and other flavors (photo © Globe Trotter Diaries).

[8] Ice cream mochi from My/Mochi are available in 18 flavors (photo © My/Mochi).

[9] Ice cream mochi on a stick. Is it a mochi ice cream pop or a mochi ice cream kebab (photo © Dee Dee Paris | Delphine Desneiges)?

The Lunar New Year is approaching, ushering in the Year of the Dragon on February 10th. There are many ways to celebrate, but one way is to treat your family and friends to Issei Mochi Gummies, our Top Pick Of The Week.

> What is the Lunar New Year?

As you’ll read below, the original mochi, which approximate the Japanese version of a rice-dough jelly donut, date back thousands of years, and were initially a sacred foo for the gods.

Or as the company describes them: soft, chewy, pillowy, somewhere between a gummy bear and a marshmallow; small, bite-sized versions of Japanese mochi.

Issei Mochi Gummies, gummy candy made with rice flour, the first of its kind. It’s a fusion of Japanese culture with German candy innovation (the history of gummy candy).

Issei means “first star” or “one life” in Japanese, but it also refers to first generation Japanese immigrants in the U.S.

In the latter meaning, the word symbolizes the earnest hope for immigrants who want to bring the best of their heritage to their new home in America.

And Issei Mochi Gummies have done just that.

Mochi Gummies embraces the ancient Japanese tradition of mochi, a beloved rice-based confection with centuries—if not millennia—of history.

They were created by a mom who wanted to wanted to turn her children’s favorite candy—gummies—into something all natural, without artificial ingredients or animal-derived gelatin.

The result is a delight, currently available in four flavors that are all-natural, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, non GMO, and vegan:

 
The packaging is quite elegant, nice enough to add to a gift bag for adults, or for little gifties for friends, co-workers, and other people whom you’d like to treat.

We’re already planning to give the Strawberry flavor for Valentine’s Day, the whole assortment for Mother’s Day and stocking stuffers, and every occasion in-between.
 
 
GET YOUR MOCHI GUMMIES

Issei Mochi Gummies are available:

 
> And check out recipes for the Lunar New Year, below.
 
 
WHAT ARE MOCHI?

The exact origin of mochi is unknown, although it is believed to have originated during the Jomon period (ca. 14,000–300 B.C.E.), when the Japanese people first began to cultivate rice.

Thus, mochi (which is both the singular and plural form of the noun), have been part of the food culture of Japan.

The first recorded mention of mochi is in the Nihon Shoki (the Chronicles Of Japan), a Japanese historical text from the 8th century.

Before they became a snack, mochi were considered a sacred food for the gods, with worshipers bringing neatly piled mounds of decorated mochi to Shinto shrines as offerings to the gods for the New Year.

They were initially consumed during religious ceremonies and festivals. Mochitsuki, the traditional mochi-pounding ceremony, became a symbolic activity during the New Year celebrations.

(And what a laborious task it was! Electric mochi makers are commonly used today.)

Mochi symbolize longevity, well-being and prosperity. It thus became a food for celebrations, gatherings, and expressions of gratitude.

It also became an energy food: from the battlefield, where it was easy for samurai to carry and prepare; to the farm, consumed by Japanese farmers to increase stamina on cold days.

The traditional mochi (photo #7) are soft pastry-like mounds made with pounded* rice dough and spring water, steamed and served at room temperature or warm.

 
 
MODERN MOCHI

Japanese enjoy mochi as Americans might enjoy a cookie or two, and the more beautiful creations are impressive enough to be served as a fine dessert, or to offer guests with a cup of tea.

Varieties of mochi evolved, both sweet and savory. For example:

 
Then came ice cream mochi, invented in the early 1990s by a Los Angeles couple who created Mochi Doki. Here’s the story.

And now, there are mochi gummies.

Enjoy them!
 
 
MORE RECIPES FOR THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

Here are traditional good luck foods for the Lunar New Year, including some of these:

 
Plus, while not an authentic Asian drink like sochu, to start we have some cocktails:

 
For dessert we have:

January 16th is International Hot & Spicy Day, and we found a new recipe that worked for lunch and dinner: Zesty Italian Pasta Salad with Hot Sopressata (photo #1).

> Here’s an explanation of salame vs. salume, the different types of salami, and more.

> September 7th is National Salami Day.

> The recipe is below. But first:
 
 
WHAT IS SOPRESSATA?

Sopressata is dry-cured pork salami, made in both mild and spicy styles. It’s one of the most popular Italian salami types in the U.S., second only to the classic Genoa salame [source].

Sopressata (also spelled soppressata, sopresseta, soprasata and sopresatta) is made from coarsely ground pork sausage, typically lean pork cuts like the shoulder, loin, and/or ham scraps and the best lard (although some producers and regions use fattier meat/less desirable cuts).

The combined lean meat and lard create a luscious salami texture that “melts in your mouth.”

The ground meat is variously seasoned. The ingredients, flavor, and texture of soppressata vary based on region, with flavors that range from sweet to savory.

Every family had—and today, every manufacturer has—its own spice proportions.

 
Stylistically among salume, sopressata is made in a uniquely flattened shape (photo #2).

The result is that the slices are oblong, rather than round.
 
 
The History Of Sopressata

This type of salami first appeared sometime during the 18th century, in the south of Italy. It was popular in the regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, and Puglia.

Today, sopressata di Calabria is stamped with the Protected Designation of Origin (Denominazione di Origine Protetta “DOP”) status [source].

The north has its own versions. Sopressa or sopressa Veneta are larger format versions of sopressata.

In the Veneto, the northeast corner of Italy†, while they often using the same signature spice blend, some producers leave out the garlic [source].
 
 
Get To Know Sopressata

Sopressata is great alone as a snack with beer or wine, on a charcuterie board, in a sandwich, and in sauces and dishes like the pasta salad recipe below.

To get to know sopressata, try versions from different regions and producers, and look for the variety of sweet and spicy notes.

For example, The DOP Sopressa made in Vincenza uses lean cuts and is much spicier than the Calabrian variety.

In contrast, the sopressa made in Tuscany uses fattier and leftover parts of the pig [source].
 
 
RECIPE: ZESTY ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
WITH HOT SOPPRESSATA

This cold pasta recipe was created by Columbus Craft Meats. Bow-tie pasta (farfalle in Italian) are topped with strips of spicy hot sopressata salame, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, toasted pine nuts, shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves lend zing, complementary textures and a delightful nutty taste.

The recipe’s dressing is a bit more interesting than the traditional vinaigrette.

Here, marinara sauce is blended with red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and crushed red pepper.

Prep time is 20 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

For The Dressing

 
For The Salad

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the dressing. In blender cup, place the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.

2. TOSS together in large bowl the pasta, salami, artichoke hearts, olives and pine nuts. Drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat.

3. GARNISH with basil and cheese.
 
 
MORE SOPPRESSATA RECIPES

[1] Pasta salad with hot sopressata. The recipe is below (photos #1 and #2 © Columbus Craft Meats).

[2] Sliced hot sopressata salami.

[3] A bowl of farfalle pasta. You can see why they are called butterfly pasta in English (photo © Klaus Nielsen | Pexels).

[4] Use your favorite marinara sauce as a base for the dressing (photo © St. Pierre USA | Facebook).

[5] Kalamata olives (photo © I. Gordutina | Panther Media).

[6] Crushed red pepper flakes add heat to the crushed red pepper in the hot sopressata (photo Savory Spice Shop).

________________
 
*Freshly shaved ribbons of Parmesan, made with a vegetable peeler, are more visually appealing than grated Parmesan. Of course, you can substitute the latter.

†The Veneto region’s capital is Venice, and the largest city is Verona.
 
 

[1] Hot and spicy congee with chili crunch. The recipe is below (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[2] Chili crunch gives heat to this recipe. It’s become a popular ingredient, found in Asian stores as well as general grocers, including Trader Joe’s. This one is available on Amazon (photo © Momofuku).

[3] Plain congee with a boiled egg. Here’s the recipe (photo © Sprinkles and Sprouts).

[4] This ginger chicken congee is made with brown rice. Here’s the recipe (photo © Honest Cooking).

[5] Seafood congee adds shrimp and scallops. Here’s the recipe (photo © Omnivore’s Cookbook).

Have you ever eaten something that was spicy enough to wake the dead? Then try the Hot & Spicy Congee recipe below.

O.K., maybe waking the dead is an exaggeration. But though not for the weak of stomach, this recipe works for cold or flu season, and might be just what the doctor ordered: a hot and spicy alterative to Jewish chicken soup.

Just in time for International Hot & Spicy Day, January 16th, our colleague Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog turned creamy, hearty, and soothing, classic congee (Chinese rice porridge) into something befitting the holiday.

The dish gets a spicy upgrade with a generous spoonful of chili crisp (a.k.a. chili crunch), an ingredient that’s been “discovered” in the U.S. over the past few years.

This easy-to-make dish is something spicy for breakfast, a side dish with flair, or as a main course like risotto, topped with shrimp, tofu, or other protein—even beans.

Toppings for congee are entirely up to the eater. Like risotto, the creamy rice porridge is, as Hannah says, “a gracious base for anything your heart desires.”

She’s a big fan of shiitake mushrooms paired with congee. “Add textural contrast,” she says, “with toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds.”

But the chili crunch, she advises, is “what transforms a bowl of mush into a downright addictive meal,” which she can eat straight from the jar.

And by the way, this spicy congee recipe is also helper when you’re feeling under the weather. Read more below.

> The history of congee is also below.
 
 
ABOUT CHILI CRISP

Chili crisp, also known as chili crunch, is a Chinese condiment that consists of fried garlic, onions, shallots, and chili flakes in oil. It was first made by Lao Gan Ma, a Chinese food company known for its chili sauce products.

The exact origin of chili crisp is a crisp tale as well.

Back in 1989, Lao Gan Ma’s founder, Tao Huabi, was an illiterate widow raising two sons in a rural village in Guizhou Province, one of the poorest regions in China’s southwest.

She ran a food truck and sold tofu cold noodles. She offered her homemade chile sauces for dipping.

Before long, she noticed that customers preferred her chile sauces over her tofu and noodles. And so, in 1996, the Lao Gan Ma brand was born. The name means old godmother.

More than two decades later, Tao has a reported net worth of $1.9 billion, making her one of the richest women in China. Here’s more about it.
 
 
RECIPE: SPICY CHILI CRISP / CHILI CRUNCH CONGEE 

Total prep and cook time is 1 hour.
 
Ingredients For 3-4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the rice, stock, salt, ginger garlic, and soy sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir occasionally so that the rice doesn’t clump or stick to the bottom.

2. SIMMER for about 1 hour, or until the rice is fully cooked and the congee is thick and creamy. Ladle into bowls and top with chili crisp and cilantro, as desired. Enjoy hot.

The congee will continue to thicken as it cools. Adjust with additional stock or water if needed to achieve your desired consistency.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CONGEE 

Congee, rice porridge, has a long history and is a staple food in many Asian countries. The dish has its roots in China and has been consumed for millennia.

Congee traces its origins back to ancient China, where it was considered a nutritious and easily digestible food. The earliest records of congee consumption date back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 B.V.E.). It was initially used as a medicinal food to treat digestive ailments.

It is also mentioned in the Chinese Record of Rites of the first century C.E., and noted in Pliny’s account of India circa 77 C.E.

Over time, congee spread to other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand. Each region developed its own variations of the dish, incorporating local ingredients and flavors. For example:

Congee was and is often prescribed by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners for its healing properties.

The soft porridge is easy on the digestive system and recommended for people recovering from illnesses.

Thus, it’s not only a common breakfast dish and comfort food, but is also consumed during times of discomfort.
 
 
Modern Congee 

Congee continues to evolve from its deep historical roots. Modern variations include sweet congees, with ingredients like red beans or fruit.

Whatever the topping, congee remains a versatile and beloved dish, appreciated for its simplicity and adaptability, across Asia and beyond.
 
 
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CAPSAICIN 

Hot chile peppers have genuine medicinal properties thanks to their characteristic burn from capsaicin, the compound responsible.

 
Have tissues handy, because this stuff will clear out your sinuses and ease congestion.

Plus, capsaicin has antibacterial properties which are effective in fighting and preventing chronic sinus infections.
 
 

January 15th is National Bagel Day, the first bagel holiday of the year* and we’ve got a fun recipe for you: Everything Bagel Popcorn.

The recipe follows, but first:

> Check out more bagel recipes below.

> More foods waiting for “everything” topping.

> The history of the bagel.

> The history of the everything bagel.

> The history of popcorn.
 
 
RECIPE: EVERYTHING BAGEL POPCORN WITH
HOMEMADE EVERYTHING SEASONING

While it’s easy to purchase an “everything bagel” seasoning mix, this recipe shows how easy it is to make your own.

Make extra to keep in the pantry. Use it in salad dressings, on cole slaw and potato salad, eggs, green salads, grilled chicken and fish, yogurt and cottage cheese, and of course, on soft cheeses like cream cheese and goat cheese (photo #3).

Thanks to the National Popcorn Board for the recipe.
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. MIX together the seeds and seasonings in a small bowl.

2. PLACE the popcorn in a large bowl. Drizzle with the melted butter and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Toss until well-coated. Eat.

3. STORE any leftover seasoning mix in airtight container.
 
 
MORE BAGEL RECIPES

 
 
 
________________
 
*Bagel Holidays: National Bagel Day is January 15th. National Bagels & Lox Day is February 9th. National Bagelfest Day is July 26th. In 2018, the Thomas’ English Muffin division of Bimbo Bakeries USA decided to move the date from February 9th to January 15th to avoid competing with National Pizza Day. This was a marketing decision of a single company, but today January 15th is the date that appears first in an online search, while February 9th got lox added to the bagels.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Everything Bagel popcorn (photo © National Popcorn Board).

[2] The “real” Everything Bagel (photo © Siegel’s Bagelmania | Facebook).

[3] You can used the Everything Bagel seasoning on just about anything, including a goat cheese log (photo © Vermont Creamery).

[4] Make extra Everything Bagel topping and keep it stored in an airtight jar (photo © Take Two Tapas).

[1] Hot Johnnie’s Dutch Crunch Pastrami Sandwich, made on Dutch Crunch bread. On this loaf, the rice paste forms “tiger stripes” (photo © Flavor & The Menu).

[2] In these and the remainder of the Dutch Crunch photos, the pattern is giraffe-like. Here’s the recipe (photo © Honeyville).

[3] Another example of why it’s also called giraffe bread. In addition to loaves, round and oblong rolls are made for sandwiches. Here’s the recipe (photos #3 and #4 © Fiesta Friday).

[4] Enjoy a ham and cheese on a Dutch Crunch roll.

[5] A loaf of bloomer bread. Here’s a recipe (photo © Doves Farm).

[6] Round and oblong Dutch Crunch rolls (photo © Max’s Dutch Crunch).

January 14th is National Pastrami Day. We’d tucked a link from Flavor & The Menu about a pastrami sandwich onto our calendar, and when we checked it out we found something we knew nothing about: Dutch Crunch bread.

First, about the pastrami sandwich in photo #1, which happens to be made on Dutch Crunch bread:

Pastrami is beef brisket that has been cured, coated in spices (crushed black pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, garlic, and others), cold smoked, and then steamed.

Hot Johnnie’s Dutch Crunch Pastrami Sandwich is the creation of Jonathan Young, chef/owner of pastrami smokehouse Hot Johnnie’s in San Francisco.

Instead of the classic pastrami on rye, Hot Johnnie’s Dutch Crunch layers house-smoked pastrami and creamy, and melted Muenster cheese on Dutch Crunch bread, spread with house-made pepperoncini aïoli. Fresh dill and house-made pickles tie the flavors together.

“Dutch Crunch is one of the most beloved types of breads in the Bay Area,” says Chef Young. “This sandwich is simple yet packed with flavor and incredible texture” [source].
 
 
SO WHAT IS DUTCH CRUNCH BREAD?

It turns out that this white bread with a crunchy top descends from tiger bread, which originated in The Netherlands.

In Dutch, the bread is called tijgerbrood (tiger bread) and tijgerbol (tiger roll).

The earliest mention of a bread with a crispy, rice flour topping comes from the Netherlands in the early part of the 20th century [source].

Over time, it spread beyond The Netherlands and became especially popular the U.K., at both artisan bakeries and supermarket chains.

In 2012, the giant grocery chain Sainsbury’s renamed the tiger bread to “giraffe bread” at the suggestion of a 3-year-old girl.

Via letter to management and subsequent online petition, she astutely pointed out that the mottled pattern of the crust is much closer to a giraffe’s coat [source 1] [source 2].

(However, you can see from photo #1 that it is possible to create tiger’s stripes.)

Tiger bread is begins with soft and fluffy white bloomer bread loaf (photo #5).

But it gets its “tiger” pattern (or giraffe pattern, depending on your point-of-view) from a rice flour paste which is brushed on time and bakes to a distinctive crunch.
 
 
Tiger Bread Becomes Dutch Crunch Bread

Dutch Crust is the San Francisco incarnation of Tiger Bread—named because the original name (and concept) was Dutch.

It’s an oblong or rectangular loaf with a crinkled, golden-brown crust that crackles when you bite it (photo #2).

The crumb (the inside) is soft, molding to whatever is placed between the slices.

The golden brown color is the result of a Maillard reaction* (the same browning that colors toast).

The crust is made up of of rice flour, sugar, oil, water, and yeast, blended into a paste and brushed on top of the bread. When heat is applied (i.e., baking), these ingredients create a much crunchier crust.

Because rice flour is free of gluten and has more and different starches than wheat flour, this paste creates the crinkle topping.

Because of the absence of gluten, the top coat does not spread. Thus, while the wheat bread beneath is expanding from the heat of the oven, the rice flour paste on top dries, cracks, and crisps up to create the patterned look [source].

The appeal is not only visual, but also textural and aural (you can hear it crunch).
 
 
WHERE TO BUY DUTCH CRUNCH BREAD

Unless you live in the San Francisco Bay area, it’s tough to find Dutch Crunch bread. It can sometimes be found in the Pacific Northwest.

On the East Coast, Wegmans grocery once sold something similar under the name “Marco Polo” bread, but it is not currently on the website. Here’s a photo from 2009—close but no cigar.

We hope that bakers nationwide get hip to the opportunities Dutch Crunch—or Tiger—or Giraffe—or What Will You—presents.

In the interim, we found two resources online. While we haven’t tried them, here are two options if you don’t want to bake:

 
 
MORE TO DISCOVER

> The history of pastrami.

> The different types of sandwich: a photo glossary.

> The history of the sandwich.

> The different types of bread: a photo glossary.

> The history of bread.
 
 
________________
 
*If you’re into science, the color comes from a reaction between the sugar and an amino acid in the bread or other food. Called the Maillard (my-YARD) reaction after the French physician and chemist Louis Camille Maillard, it’s a form of non-enzymatic browning that usually requires heat. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. The color and flavor of toasted bread and nuts; barbecued, roasted and seared meats; and roasted coffee (and many others—the browning on fried dumplings, cookies and other kinds of biscuits, breads, toasted marshmallows, and many more) are the result of Maillard reactions. Thus caramel candy is the result of a Maillard reaction. However, the process called caramelization—the caramelization of sugar, as opposed to the creation of the candy—is not a Maillard reaction but a different type of non-enzymatic browning, not involving amino acids. Instead, the sugar is oxidized.