Within the Japanese gastronomy what everybody probably knows are the sushi, ramen soups and grilled yakitori…Dessert wise, what some people know could be the red beans cakes, the green tea ice cream and the super soft sticky gluey rice mochi.
What very few people know about is a “sweet cube” that I discovered after visiting Takayama’s morning riverside market. Takayama is a small city located in the heart of the Japanese Alps. The Jinya-mae market started more than 300 years ago. The origin of the market started with silk raising farmers who sold leaves of mulberry trees and even today only farmers are allowed to open stalls. Many stalls sell fresh green vegetables, dried foods, and homemade pickles, and they are happy to tell you how to eat and to preserve their foods.
A man caught my attention as he was calling out for customers and repeating nonstop “warm marshmallows… warm marshmallows!”. I looked to the right and there he was, standing behind some strange cubes “a la plancha”. Of course as a foodie I couldn’t resist trying one of those.
A year has gone by and I still remember how I felt when I had a bite. I closed my eyes and saw past happy childhood memories. It was like biting a warm cloud or, even better, like being surrounded by a fluffy warm duvet. If you ever get a chance to go and visit Takayama, try one for breakfast. Relax. Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Your day is going to be amazing…
Texto y fotos: Emilie Moun
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