By Isabella Fredrickson
A beloved dessert from the tropics has hit the Downtown dessert scene. Straight from Hawaii, the company Island Mochi is here.
For those of you who don’t know, Mochi is a sweet dessert with Japanese and Hawaiian influences. Mochi is glutinous, chewy, and sweet. Some describe the taste of mochi as a mix between a gummy candy, a marshmallow, and a chewy cake.
Island Mochi was created by Brendan Wong, a junior at Arizona State University. He is a nursing major at the Downtown Phoenix campus and is originally from Oahu, Hawaii. Island Mochi is based out of his downtown apartment, where all of his mochi is baked to perfection and packaged fresh. The company began this past summer.
“Island Mochi was founded off of my love for mochi. This past summer I really enjoyed baking mochi, which started because I really enjoy mochi myself and was tired of going out and buying it,” Wong said.
Wong first began specializing in his favorite, Chichi Dango which he describes as a Japanese type of mochi that is softer than others. Once Wong perfected his recipe, his loved ones inspired him to start selling it. His family members and friends were all very impressed with his mochi and told him that he was good enough to sell it.
He started asking friends if they would be willing to purchase any, and from there, he began to sell his Chichi Dango, which is his personal favorite type of mochi.
After seeing success, Wong decided to branch out and expand his mochi options. “I started making peanut butter mochi, with peanut butter filling inside. I made a fresh coconut mochi, with the coconut inside, as well as Hawaiian butter mochi,” He said.
Hawaiian Butter Mochi is what Island Mochi specializes here in Arizona.
Wong comes from Hawaii where Mochi is extremely popular and he noticed that there was a lack of mochi in Arizona. Island Mochi was a big hit in Hawaii and within his culture, and he wanted to bring that goodness to his new home in Phoenix. “Ultimately, I love the joy mochi brings to others.”
Being a foodie and a huge fan of mochi myself, I can personally say that Island Mochi’s Hawaiian Butter Mochi is one of the best I’ve ever had…and I have had a lot. This mochi took me back to Hawaii and gave me a little taste of paradise I needed. With all the craziness in the world, I think everyone needs a little (or a lot) of Island Mochi in their life.
Right now Island Mochi is selling fresh, made to order Hawaiian Butter Mochi, Chichi Dango mix, and Hawaiian Butter Mochi mix for $8.00. Order some today at: https://islandmochi.square.site/
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