8 Ways To Eat Sakura
posted by John Spacey, December 24, 2014
If you've ever had the urge to eat a sakura petal, you're not alone.Sakura petals bloom in brilliant color all over Japan each Spring. It's naturally tempting to eat them —that's exactly what people do. They are a seasonal ingredient used in a variety of Japanese foods and desserts.Sakura petals bloom spectacularly and fall within days. This is considered a symbol of change and a reminder of the temporary nature of all things. Therefore, it's a bad idea to pick sakura petals. It's like messing with destiny. In Japan, Sakura petals and Sakura leaves can be purchased in supermarkets in season. Oshima cherry blossoms are the preferred variety for cooking because they are soft.Sakura are considered edible. Nevertheless, they shouldn't be eaten in large quantities. They contain coumarin, a natural substance that's toxic in large enough doses.Sakura are primarily used as a flavor, light pink food coloring and garnish. Examples of sakura foods include:
1. Sakura Mochi
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake that's nothing more than a sticky rice known as Mochigome that has been crushed with a giant mallet. Add sakura petals and you've got Sakura Mochi. Sakura Mochi may be wrapped in sakura leaf for aesthetic purposes. Sakura leaf is also edible. They are typically pickled in salt to improve their shelf life.
2. Sakura Daifuku
Sakura Mochi stuffed with anko or sweet white bean paste. 
3. Sakura Wagashi
Wagashi is a generic term for traditional Japanese desserts. It's often used to describe Japanese desserts that are so original that they have no standard name. It's common for wagashi to have a seasonal theme. Sakura wagashi are served at fine restaurants, temples and tea houses in Spring.
4. Sakura Tea
Dried sakura leaves with a Japanese green tea such as sencha.
5. Sakurayu
Sakura petals in hot water. This is the most direct sakura taste experience apart from eating the petals directly.
6. Hanami Dango
Hanami Dango (literally: flower viewing dango) is a dessert of three Japanese rice dumplings on a stick. One is unflavored, one is sakura flavored and one is flavored with matcha or yomogi.
7. Sakura Kuzumochi
A type of mochi made with starch from a Kudzu plant (Japanese Arrowroot). Kuzumochi has very little flavor on its own. Sakura is also a subtle flavor, so the two are a good match. 
8. Sakura Macarons
Japan is a big market for luxury European sweets. Western desserts such as Macarons are also flavored with Sakura in Spring. 
| Sakura Petals is ranked | #7 of 9 Japanese Flavors For Western Desserts #16 of 34 Ingredients for Japanese Food #22 of 28 Types of Japanese Tea |
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