Mochi Mochi

Song:  Into Dust

Artist:  Mazzy Star

My mom just got back from visiting her youngest daughter in California.

She had been there for several weeks.

My little sister is now visiting my mother at her house.

On her first night back...

we went out to eat at a Korean restaurant.

My mother loves eating out.

On the next day...

I had to attend to some business in California...

so, I made my way over the Sierra Mountain range in the morning.

The clouds were lying low in the mountains.

It added a mystical feeling to the crossing.

I am almost at the summit here.

In a few hours I would have to make the drive back to Reno.

I had my younger sister start soaking the sweet rice so we could make mochi

when I returned in the afternoon.

I started the mochi machine on the first batch.

I also had my mother prepare the mochi station.

We are all set to make mochi cakes.

The mochi machine's lid pops as soon as it has finished steaming the rice.

The impeller then starts the kneading process.

The first batch is ready to start making into individual cakes.

This is how many cakes each batch makes.

We will end up making about 10 batches over the next couple of days.

We will freeze some for my mother...

I will take some home...

and the rest is for my younger sister to take home.

My younger sister started making mochi soup for our supper.

She started soaking Shiitake mushrooms.

As well as Konbu (dried Kelp)

She then cooked some chicken for the meat and to make broth...

in combination with fish soup stock  (Hondashi).

She then began cooking the mushrooms and the kelp...

and after a while, she added the cooked chicken, the mochi and the Wombok cabbage.

We made a total of 5 batches on this day.

On the morrow...

we will make at least another 5 batches.

My mother's supper of mochi soup and fresh mochi.

My mother loves her daughter's company...

as they do things everyday.

My mother will soon be going back to visit her daughters again.

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One word of warning:

Many people each year in Japan...

die from choking on mochi.

The young and the elderly should never eat mochi alone.