One of my FAVORITE summer treats is MOCHI ICE CREAM. (In Japanese, they are called 雪見だいふく). If you’ve never tried them, you are seriously missing out. Yummy cold ice cream wrapped inside chewy, delicious mochi- what could be better? Whenever I am at Trader Joe’s and feel like treating myself, I buy a box. I’ve tried most of the flavors and love them all, but must say that strawberry is my absolute favorite.
One thing that’s great about mochi ice cream is that unlike many other Japanese treats, you DON’T have to hop on a plane to Japan to eat them! There is an American company called Mikawaya that makes yummy mochi ice cream right here in the states. Their products are made 100% in the U.S.A using products from the U.S.A.
Just look at all these yummy flavors. YUMMM. I might have to make a trip to the store tonight just so I can eat these! Someone on Mochi Ice Cream’s facebook page commented that mochi ice cream is now available at Costco! Pretty sure mine doesn’t carry them yet, but I hope they will! (A Costco-sized box of mochi ice cream? yes please!).
If you visit their WEBSITE, you can print a coupon for 75 cents off your next box of mochi ice cream. Awesome!
There are recipes on the web for mochi ice cream, but knowing how time-consuming and sticky mochi-making is, I’d rather pay a few bucks to enjoy them without all the work.
***
Of course, if you actually fly to Japan, there are many more flavors and varieties. I would love to try them all, especially kinako-mochi ice cream. And don’t even get me started on the hundreds of other kinds of Japanese frozen treats there are. They are so good and it kills me that they are not available in America! (You can drool over all the different kinds at this Japanese Ice Cream Database blog by みんとみんく).
***
What is your favorite Japanese summer treat?
Hiragana Mama 
Ooh… I’ve never bought those before, but every time I see them in the store, I stare at them for a while. Next time I’ll buy it!
My favorite summer dish is somen (^_^). I’ve only been to Japan in the winter, so I don’t know what kind of summer treats there are. But my husband is Japanese, and we cook somen during the summer a lot.
Ooo… I’ve been craving somen too!! So good with shiso leaves, yummy!
wow what many sorts of mochiice, i am very happy when i can try one, but this ice is not in Germany, so i has made it by myself http://my-little-japanese-world.blogspot.com/2011/09/mochieis.html but it looks not so good 😦 i hope i come to Japan a second time, i love this country