Reviewed by
Mary
Bokksu is the only Japanese snack box that sources directly from snack makers in Japan, so many of our artisanal products cannot be found anywhere else. Start your cultural journey through Japan by subscribing to Bokksu and receiving a curated box of premium Japanese snacks and teas delivered to your door every month.
They have two levels of subscription: the Tasting, which is smaller, and the one I have received, The Classic. Subscriptions are prepaid for one, three, six, or twelve months.For the Classic box they work out at $39 (around £30), $37, $35 , and $33 per month.As usual, they are priced in dollars, so GBP conversion is according to today’s exchange rate. Obviously this will vary, but it gives you some idea of cost.
This month’s box showcases one of the most classic and recognizable Japanese treats: Mochi!
Mochi are rice cakes made from special high-starch rice, and they come in a remarkable variety of flavours and textures. The most common are the lovely squashy soft type with various fillings, but you’ll find several others too. I’m very excited about this box because mochi is something I absolutely adore!
If you’re not so familiar with mochi, there is fantastic information in the enclosed menu booklet.
You can see where in Japan each item comes from, and explanations of all the different types and how they’re made. Even if you know a bit about them already it’s still fascinating.
And of course there’s the full menu list, which gives you names, descriptions, and an allergy guide.
Calpico Mochi and Setouchi Lemon Mochi.
Calpico is a Japanese fermented soft drink and is absolutely unique. It tastes rather like slightly sweetened bio yogurt, and while it sounds odd, it is delicious and refreshing. The mochi has a chewy outer and the filling has the lovely tangy taste of Calpico.
Setouchi lemons are famous for their sweetness, and beautiful scented citrus flavour of this mochi is enhanced by also using the actual lemon peel in the filling.
Onigri Senbei Soy Sauce Flavour and Custard Daifuku Mochi.
These crispy senbei (rice cracker) are shaped like the classic Japanese rice ball with a beautiful savory flavour of soy sauce and nori. With a wonderful umami punch, these are a great contrast to the sweetness of the mochi.
Daifuku are filled mochi, and these mochi have a wonderful rich vanilla custard filling.
Crepe Colouree: Orange Tea and Funwari Meijin Mochi Puffs: Black Syrup Kinako.
These little crispy rolls are incredibly thin and light, and infused with orange. Inside is a black tea filling, which sounds unusual, but the slight bitterness of the filling combines perfectly with the sweet orange biscuit.
Funwari Meijin Puffs are one of my favourite Bokksu items; I’m always thrilled when they show up! They are mochi, but instead of dense and chewy, they are created with a secret process that makes them incredibly light and crispy, rather like little flaky clouds. The coating is cocoa, black syrup, rather like molsses, and then covered with kinako, roasted soybean powder which has the most wonderful roasted nutty and savory flavour. This is one of the best snacks Bokksu produces!
Super Heart Chiple: Garlic and Mochimochi Chocolate Ganache.
These savory chips are not as hot as the flames would suggest, but they are very garlicky! They also have a light dusting of paprika which adds just a little spice and a wonderful depth to the taste.
The chocolate mochi are one of the most beautifully rich mochi I’ve tried. The outer coating is quite thin and the chocolate filling is intensely chocolaty and tasty. I think they are rather like a Japanese take on the traditional chocolate truffle.
Olice & Olice Arare and Pudding Daifuku Mochi.
Olive is not the most common flavour in Japanese cooking, but these crunchy senbei are actually the perfect vehicle. The crackers contain both olive and olive oil, and are both earthy and salty and very nice indeed.
The stuffed pudding mochi are similar to the custard mochi, but have an extra layer of caramel marshmallow inside. Again, sweet and delicious.
Yuzu Gummy and Hi-Chew Premium Red Grape.
Yuzu is a unique Japanese citrus fruit used frequently in cooking. It has a lovely perfumed flavour, much more complex than lemon, and it lends itself well to gummies too.
Hi-Chew are one of the most famous Japanese brands of chewy sweets, and these grape gummies have a candy coating around the famous chewy filling.
