Japanese cuisine has become quite common in America. But how many people know much about Japanese sweets? Japanese sweets, wagashi, are as different from Western sweets as Japanese cuisine is from American cuisine. Wagashi usually do not contain any butter or flour. Instead, they are made with rice and/or a sweetened bean paste called anko. Each piece is tiny and exquisitely designed. Gwen Stamm, who teaches Japanese tea sweets in Kirkland, says, “Japanese sweets for tea depict some aspect of seasons. For example, the month of April emphasizes the cherry blossom season. Therefore, most sweets will in some way evoke the feeling of springy cherry blossoms.” If you are interested, Gwen’s three-hour-long classes take place every month. For $30, you can learn to make wagashi while sampling your creations along with a bowl of matcha green tea. You’ll also take some sweets home (contact: Gwen Stamms Blue Camellia at (360) 376-1035). You can also order her confectioneries without taking her classes. Tokara Confectionery located near Green Lake (www.tokaragashi.com / Tel. 206-784-0226) is another choice for professionally crafted wagashi. Both Gwen and Tokara learned confectionery in Kyoto. Another simple quick route to tasting wagashi is to choose from the wide variety offered at Uwajimaya supermarket. Mochi Ice Cream from Maeda-en, a Japanese green tea producer, is a good choice especially if you are still not sure about sweetened bean paste. It’s a fusion of a layer of mochi (rice cake) and premium ice cream. At your next tea party, why not impress your friends by serving artistically shaped Japanese confectioneries and green tea?

	<< Wagashi, Japanese confectionery, crafted by Gwen Stamm.
	<< Maeda-en’s Mochi Ice Cream with green tea flavor is a must-try.