Moshi Moshi, Mochi!

Because I didn't have the time to shop for super personalized gifts this year, I got most people the gift of calories:

I know, it seems highly tamad to get a one-size-fits-all gift, but I took comfort in the thought that most people were bound to fall in love at first bite with these mochi.

Mochi are Japanese treats made of glutinous rice. The first time I had mochi was in Los Angeles some eight years ago, and they had an ice cream center. These babies from Dezato have a surprising filling: chocolate!

The box with a dozen bite-size mochi balls (P195) contains four different flavors: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate with walnuts, and white chocolate with green tea. (Unfortunately, their chocolate and peanut butter mochi--sounds heavenly!--isn't included in the box, so I've never had it.) Now I've never tried authentic mochi from Japan, but I must say that these Dezato ones are love. When you bite into one, you are first met with the jelly-like, slightly sticky rice. Then your teeth sink into the rich truffle center. The rice nicely offsets the sweetness of the chocolate. Such a wonderful balance of flavors and textures!

A couple of comments I've gotten from my gift recipients:

"At first I was sharing it with my family, then I realized how yummy it was so I kept it for myself!"

"My mom gave me one. ONE. By the next morning, it was all gone."

Christmas is supposed to be the season of giving--but you really can't be faulted for being a bit selfish when it comes to these teeny treats!

Visit the Dezato Cafe at 100 Hemady St., New Manila, Quezon City. Contact them through (02) 727-1229. Check out their website: http://dezato.multiply.com. They've also got mochi ice cream, and serve pasta and other filling dishes.

What's Orange and White and Sweet All Over?

Lookie lookie what I found at the supermarket: Orange M&M's!

True chocoholics would probably scoff at these little crunchy discs, but I am unabashedly an M&M fan. I'd choose a pack over a tumbler of popcorn while watching a movie. I was quite delighted to find that they had come up with this new, limited-edition flavor.

They come in just white and orange candy coatings, and they seem to taste sweeter than the regular version. I much prefer the original ones (no peanuts, please) or, even better, dark M&M's--but really, when did I ever say no to chocolate in any form?