Well, I'm still riding the Asian flavors train, after discovering a bunch of new desserts during research for my Wasabi ice cream post. Next stop: mochi ice cream.This Japanese treat is about the size of a golfball and is basically ice cream covered in a dough-like shell, which is made out of rice flour. Flavors range from the familiar: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry to the slightly more unusual: green tea and red bean paste. I have a thing for geometric shapes, so I'm loving the simplicity of the shapes and the idea of having your very own little ball of ice cream to call your own.
In the states, you can find mochi ice cream at Trader Joe's, Pinkberry, Red Mango, Bubbies in Hawaii, and Mikawaya in Los Angeles, which also sells mochi ice cream on it's Web site. If you'd like to try your hand at making your own mochi, click here for a recipe, courtesy of the Web site Japanese Ice Cream. Oh, and don't confuse mochi ice cream with regular mochi, which are filled with substances that are not ice cream. Regular mochi is probably tasty as well . . . but not ice cream! :-)Photo credits: (top to bottom) Patti, B.ill