Sakura mochi

My current obsession: sakura mochi! Glutinous rice with red bean paste inside. Wrapped with a pickled sakura leaf and topped with a sakura blossom. The sakura leaf adds a nice firm textural element and also some salt to the sweet mochi. The sakura blossom is soo fragrant and floral.

Sakura mochi is typically eaten during the spring in Japan when the cherry blossom trees are in bloom. It's seasonal and I've had such a hard time trying to get some in my area! I got this at Mochi cream inside Mitsuwa Marketplace in Costa Mesa for $3, such a rip off! I had some from LA just a few weeks ago for only $1.75 a piece >:( I'm very tempted to try and make some sakura mochi myself. We'll see..