Based on the sheer number of strawberry desserts I make every summer, you probably already know that I'm a strawberry fangirl. So when the California Strawberry Commission invited me and nine other bloggers down to tour a Santa Cruz strawberry farm to learn about California's sweetest crop, you can probably imagine how giddy I was. I mean, I'm ecstatic when the organic strawberries drop to $2/lb at our local market, but this was the opportunity to get up close a personal in strawberry land, eating juicy berries right off the plant. I may have squealed.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the California Strawberry Commission as part of the CA Strawberries 365 Field Tour & Culinary Event, but please rest assured that all opinions expressed here are 100% my own.
After leaving strawberry land, I spent the entire drive home dreaming up what I would make with my fresh-from-the-farm clamshell of strawberries. We had company coming for dinner about an hour after I got home, so I needed something that came together lickety-split. These Japanese-inspired red bean strawberry mochi bites - aka strawberry daifuku - fit the bill to pair with the smoked salmon soba bowl entrée. With freshly picked strawberries? Perfection. I'll tell you more about these in a bit, but first: let's talk strawberries.
Before the trip, I already knew California produced the juiciest sweetest strawberries in all the land because I'd seen it first hand. If you were hanging around Snixy Kitchen over two years ago (Hi Mom!), I told you about the time my 5th grade class took a trip to a strawberry farm.
Besides the hayride, my most poignant memory from that trip was that afterward, my (married) teacher baked a strawberry pie for my (married) dad because he wouldn't stop giving her crap about not getting the strawberry shortcake he was promised for being a chaperone. And in my world, that most definitely meant she loved him and they were going to get married. GASP!
This trip, I put my 5th-grade love scandal aside to learn about strawberry farming in California. When you grow up in California, you take for granted the access to fresh produce year-round. Did you know that up and down the west coast, California produces nearly 90% of all US-grown fresh strawberries and grows more organic strawberries than anywhere else in the world? With a 12 month growing season, I think I'm going to start making seasonal strawberry recipes all year round.
Earlier this summer, we bought a strawberry plant from the Edible Schoolyard plant sale, and so far we've produced one strawberry, but it barely counts because it was already growing when we bought it. I'm convinced that I'm actually a fantastic strawberry grower, but the neighborhood stray cats and wild deer just eat them before I can see the fruit. Conclusive proof: I found a mouth-sized BITE out of my first prized tomato today. Mad respect for farmers who can fend off hungry cats.
My luck with growing strawberries had me in awe as third-generation farmer Rod Koda showed us around his 27-acre strawberry farm in Watsonville. We learned that GMOs are not used in any commercially grown strawberries shipped from California. Instead, to combat a common strawberry pest - the lygus bug - farmers use a bug vac mounted on a tractor to suck the insects off of the plants and fruit. (I should have asked what he does to fend off the stray cats and wild deer - missed opportunity;).
Since I'm definitely partial to buying only organic strawberries, I was really interested to learn about the research California strawberry growers are doing to refine their growing practices; For example, some experiments aim to change the balance of microscopic organisms in the soil to combat common strawberry diseases and pests.
If you're a strawberry fanatic like me, you should feel comforted by the fact that strawberries are a superfruit (which I think means if you eat enough, you'll get superpowers). They're a great source of fiber and vitamin c - there's more vitamin c in a cup of strawberries than in an orange! Plus, they're lower in sugar than other fruits, which means a serving of 8 strawberries only has about 50 calories.
Head on over to learn more about California strawberries here!
When we got back from our honeymoon in Tokyo where we ate wagashi all day long, I made mochi every day for about a month straight. It's a texture thing - stretchy, chewy, pillowy, and soft all at once. I'm obsessed. Plus, when it's midnight and you're suddenly craving something slightly sugary, whipping up a batch of mochi is ten times quicker and more satisfying than a dozen cookies.
About a month ago, my friend Angi started going on and on about this strawberry mochi dessert at her favorite sushi restaurant - so good that you apparently have to reserve one ahead of time or they'll be all gone when you show up. It's true. I've eaten there about six times now and I've only been able to snag it once. And once I did - OMG! I had to recreate it or else I'd have to dine there at least 2 nights a week to satisfy my relentless craving.
This strawberry mochi is a type of Daifuku, which is soft mochi filled with a sweet filling (usually red bean paste). You can then add in anything from mango to strawberries!
Once you try it, this is one of the easiest and most delicious desserts you'll ever make. While I typically boil or broil mochi, you'll steam the mochi in the microwave for this one, which makes it that much quicker.
You can chop up the mochi itself to eat alone or as a yummy ice cream or other dessert topping, but trust me - the combination of red beans, strawberry, and mochi really shouldn't be ignored. It's a delicious marriage that is slightly sweetened, juicy, pillowy, and stretchy all in one bite. Yup, this is what dreams are made of, guys.
I know what I'm making again tonight. With Lucas in China, I'm definitely going to eat all six strawberry mochi bites by myself. Mochi monster.
Strawberry Daifuku Recipe
Just One Cookbook has an amazing recipe for classic strawberry mochi (called Ichigo Daifuku or Strawberry Daifuku) along with more information about Japanese daifuku, plus tips and pictures for making it at home!
annie -
schmoly freshness. we just moved to SF and the fresh, local produce situation is high on my favorite things list. looks like such a fun day! and these strawberry mochis are definitely getting a shot...ya know, once we actually get a kitchen and all! ;)
Sarah Menanix -
Yay! Welcome to the Bay! Let's meet up sometime! Goodluck finding an apartment:) :) And when you do, definitely try these strawberry mochi - they are addicting.
Annie -
I would LOVE that! I could even have you over after I make them....but then you might judge because I only pretend to be good in the kitchen...so, maybe we should stick to going out for mimosas or something.. ;)
Sarah Menanix -
Mimosas sounds great! Or we could have you two over for double date night dinner sometime since you're not all set up yet:) Let's chat! Send me an e-mail?
annie -
are you kidding me with this?! yes..............
dina -
what delightful snacks and what a great trip!
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you, Dina! I totally fell in love with the fields and fields of strawberries on this trip.
Thalia @ butter and brioche -
these are just the cutest little sweet treats ever.. i can't get enough of red bean at the moment. beautifully captured photos too.
Sarah Menanix -
I AGREE - I don't think I'll ever get past my red bean obsession. Thanks for your sweet words, Thalia!
Maryanne @ the little epicurean -
Strawberries gives you super powers? Do you get to choose which one? lol. I love mochi! I've never tried strawberry and red bean together, but I'm sure it's super tasty :)
Sarah Menanix -
Oh man - when you two come to visit (you're coming right? That was a very serious invitation), I'll make you some of these. Probably about a dozen before you get super powers, I think. I'll make a few dozen just in case. ;)
Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits -
These treats look amazing! I also love the photos you took from the strawberry farm. Are the strawberries that are hanging from the bush not ripe yet? I only see red ones when I got to the farmers market.
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks Lisa! I may have made and eaten and entire batch of these with my friend last night....oops! Yup - the green/light ones are just not ripened yet. When we bought our strawberry plant, it had a green one on it that ripened in our care - So, I'm going to go ahead and take credit for it;)
Tina -
I want like a billion of these. When I come to SF in 2 weeks, will you make me some?!?!?!?
Sarah Menanix -
Ummmmm - duh!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan -
I'm SOLD. I'm still not even sure what mochi is exactly, but if you make it I will eat it Sarah. PS these pics are gorgeous! PPS do you think if I put my measurements in milliliters I'll win more friends?
Sarah Menanix -
Hehe - yes, it's definitely the key to success. One day you'll be popular...just keep trying.
And OMG you're missing out without mochi in your life. We need to have a date so I can fix this asap.
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely -
I live just an hour away from Santa Cruz, and I have never heard of this Strawberry Land. I must go right away! These pictures are gorgeous. And these strawberries look about a million times better than what I'm getting at Trader Joe's.
So fun that you're a California girl too! Do you live in California now? We live in Danville, in the SF Bay Area. Love meeting local bloggers!
These strawberry mochi's sound so good! Great way to use up those gorgeous strawberries : )
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you so much, Natalie! We get pretty lucky with our fresh strawberries here in California, but nothing compares to freshly picked!
I'm in the East Bay too! El Cerrito. You should come out to SF for the Bay Area food bloggers picnic next weekend! (If you're not already in it, look for the Bay Area Food Bloggers facebook group for info:).
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely -
There's a Bay Area Food Bloggers group in Facebook?! I'm so excited! I just requested to join! Thanks for the tip.
So fun that you're in El Ceritto! We're practically neighbors : )
I'm actually going to be in Hawaii next weekend (I know!), otherwise I would have loved to have gone to the picnic. Hope you have a great time!
Glad I found your blog : )
Kelly -
These are such awesome pics from the strawberry farm! Love these strawberry mochi’s, they look so good! I adore red bean desserts and this is such a great way to use up some of these gorgeous strawberries:)
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you, lady! I've been on a bit of a red bean kick these days too and they taste just so great with sweet sweet strawberries.
Sean -
True story: I don't love strawberries. However, this is one of my favorite things ever. I always get it at Eiji. You make it look easy!
Sarah Menanix -
I wonder if it's like the opposite of your cilantro-theory:) Even though you don't like them solo, when the strawberries mingle with mochi and red beans, it's a winning combo. It so easy that it's become my go-to dessert - just made two batches for company tonight...and we devoured them all.
ALSO - I just made my first batch of oboro tofu using Hodo Soy's soymilk last night! Also easy and satisfies my constant Eiji craving.
Natalia -
Maybe this sounds weird, but I do not own a microwave. I really want to try this, so could you tell me how you normally boil/broil the dough?
Thanks! :)
Sarah Menanix -
Not weird at all - I have lots of friends without microwaves! I've never made these mochi covered strawberries without the microwave method, as when you boil it, it is a different texture on the outside that wouldn't stretch in the same way. So instead, I'd make mochi balls and then serve it along side a bit of red bean paste and sliced strawberries (over ice cream would be good too:). I do this sometimes for a quick dessert and it's just as delicious!
Boiled mochi balls: 2 cups sweet rice flour, about 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons sugar. Bring a medium pot of water to boil over medium heat. Mix it all together until completely combined, adding more sweet rice flour or water as needed to get desired texture. The texture you're looking for is soft and moist, but still able to hold shape when rolled into balls, similar to soft play dough or thick silly putty. If when you put a rolled ball on a plate, it starts to blob flat like gak (remember that stuff??), then you want to add a bit more flour. Here's the trick though, you want just a TINY bit more flour because you want to err on the side of too moist. If it loses its shape just tiny bit on the plate, that's totally okay, but you don't want them to be too dry or the texture won't be as great. If it's too dry to begin with, add a 1/4 teaspoon more water at a time. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and set them on a plate so they aren't touching. Drop the mochi balls one at a time into the boiling water, trying to keep them as separate as possible. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir them so they don't stick to the bottom.Once the mochi float to the top, cook for 2 minutes longer. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and serve with whatever toppings you like (I often add some powdered sugar on top). You can also then broil it for a couple of minutes after boiling it if you prefer it to puff up and get crispy on the outside!
Natalia -
Thank you! ❤️
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky -
Definitely your strawberry mochi red bean trip strawberry land is awesomeness! This is a great recipe, as you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely, in fact have made it again since. Thanks for sharing Howdy!
Bella Hardy @ Healthnerdy -
I had a similar strawberry mochi red bean at a restaurant recently and found myself craving it and wondering if I could recreate it today.
Robin Hamilton @Wellness Wires -
Legit speechless, that strawberry mochi red bean recipe looks unreal! Definitely, I will make it on the weekend for my family.
Kara Mathys @Wellnessgrit -
These strawberry mochi red beans are so Instagrammable and adorable! As you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely! Thx for sharing!
taylor johnson @tayloright -
Thank you for sharing Sarah! I would love to visit strawberry land!
Veronica -
Fresh and full of vitamins this treat is something that my family would enjoy everyday!