"rice cakes" news and stories

I must admit that I've never really understood or enjoyed mochi, the Japanese glutinous rice cakes that are traditionally given as gifts on New Year's Day. Though I am a big fan of the hilarious mochi scene in Tampopo. But I'm ready to cast aside my aversion to the sticky rice cakes after seeing this image of rows of perfectly formed mochi arrayed like some kind of eerie alien gem stones. I'd even fly to Tokyo to visit the Takashimaya department store where this glamour shot was taken. [via Tastespotting]

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In California, there is a small, but growing debate developing over rice cakes - not the dry, crispy cakes that are sold in packages in the grocery store, but traditional Vietnamese rice cakes that consist of sticky rice, filled with seasoned pork and wrapped in a banana leaf. The problem is that the restaurants and shops that sell them are being made to comply with state food safety regulations that go against the way that these buns are normally served. Ken Trieu, whose family has been making and selling the cakes in San Jose for two decades, says that the cakes should be at room temperature and can remain that way for two days. The health department says that the cakes can only remain out at room temperature for 2-4 hours, or need to be in a hot or cold (less than 41F or more than 135F) environment to prevent bacterial growth. Health analyses have shown that the cakes are "potentially hazardous'' at room temperature, as are several other similar rice and pork pairings.

At the moment, vendors are trying to get the cakes, and other traditional foods, re-tested for safety.

The real question is whether you, the consumer, think that foods that are served in a slightly less than traditional manner are losing something in terms of quality or flavor or if the tradeoff for safety is worth a compromise.

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