Mochi + Waffle = Moffle

The Japanese pastry staple, the mochi, has gotten a new facelift. Combine one part mochi and one part waffle and you get the newest Japanese food craze: the moffle!

This new dessert is a trademark of the Japanese company Sanyei, which tested out the mochi-waffle combination after a customer remarked that they would like to toast their mochi with the company’s waffle iron. The moffle took off during a 2006 food exhibition and the positive feedback led to the company’s development of a moffle maker.

Legions of fans have been made and cafes have begun to specialize in the moffle, even creating their own mochi specifically for the pastry. Fans love the moffle’s crispy exterior and the glutinous mochi-like interior, and the mochi’s versatility allows for salty or sweet toppings. Make a hearty moffle sandwich with eggs and ham or a sweet dessert with whipped cream and chocolate.

An added bonus: the moffle is made primarily of rice, which is a great carb addition to any diet, and it doesn’t require any oil to cook!

The Next Superfruit: Yumberries!

The newest “superfruit” from China, this berry has a sweet-sour flavor that is similar to the cranberry. With a raspberry-like texture, stringy flesh, and a pit in the center, the yumberry (also known as "yangmei") boasts some of the rich properties that made other superfruits like pomegranates and acai berries popular. Yumberries are rich in antioxidants (such as oligomeric proanthocyanidins, or OPC) and contain vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and carotene. OPC is a powerful compound that can fight oxidation 50 times better than vitamin E and can also protect your eyesight and reduce your risk of cataracts! Some uses of yumberries are as a digestive to clear up hard-to-digest food and cure stomachaches.

Yumberry trees are harvested in narrow windows, from only June to July and are very perishable. Additionally because the trees have a high tolerance towards pests and diseases, they are grown organically and use very few pesticides.

Yumberries are starting to be used in drinks (their juice is very healthy!), and you can expect to see them soon in supermarket aisles.