A backyard flowering cherry tree. Photo Credit Lillian Lake
Each was glazed with a different flavor and decorated accordingly. Photo credit Lillian Lake
Cherry blossoms were evident everywhere. Photo credit Lillian Lake
I’m wrapping up a week-long stay with my daughter and her girls. It has been an adventurous week, as anyone can imagine who has spent any time with teenagers. The younger one is obsessed with basketball, softball, soccer, or sports in general. She particularly excels at basketball. So much of her time, despite it being spring vacation, was spent attending practices and tournaments. This left plenty of time for me to spend with the older one, who loves cooking and is obsessed with Asian culture. Her life goal is to go to design school in China, a language she speaks well.
Before I arrived, I was not well-versed in eating or cooking various Asian foods, but that has changed rapidly. We ate Korean food at cafes and restaurants and homemade candy and desserts. Ella had sent me recipes to prime the pump, so I had the ingredients and studied the methods.
We made a few things: Japanese candy crystals – kohakutau; chewy sweet rice balls – Hanami Dango, in honor of the season of cherry blossoms; and a dish called Beef Bulgogi. We ordered mochi donuts from a donut shop that only makes these moist rice flour donuts. Each was glazed with a different flavor and decorated accordingly. They tasted pretty good. We also had bubble tea, which I’m pretty sure is a requirement for sampling Asian foods and beverages, and if it’s not, then it needs to be because it’s a severe addiction.
I feel accomplished cooking these delicious culinary delights while bonding with a teenager who hardly ever left my side. “Next can we make?” was the anticipated response after each cooking session. This area of Pennsylvania has a strong Asian influence, making the ingredients readily available. Fortunately, Nonna’s patience was abundant, too, so we had a winning combination. In addition, her younger sister, more into making slime than edible foods, enjoyed reaping the benefit of her sister’s kitchen partnership.
The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, with bees excitedly visiting each flower. The timing of my visit was such that I observed their transformation from fluffy white blossoms into delicate, fragrant, pink-tinged white blossoms.
Hanami, a Japanese celebration, honors the cherry tree, which blooms during spring rice planting. “Hanami” means “cherry blossom viewing.” It is believed that the deities hide in each blossom. Food and sake are picnic staples meant to honor the deities.
Philadelphia, PA, where I was visiting, has the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival. There is a National Cherry Blossom Festival in Wahington, DC, each spring. Here, the ephemeral spectacle of cherry trees resulted from serendipitous events leading to Japan’s Mayor Yukio Ozaki inquiring in 1909 if Mrs. Taft would accept the donation of two thousand cherry trees.
Remembering how beautiful the trees looked in Japan, she readily agreed. Sadly, upon their arrival, the trees were infested and destroyed. The Mayor donated an additional donation of over 3,000 trees. They were planted along the Potomac River, where their reflection gives the desired effect of fields of cherry trees.
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