The Japanese Club gets a little sweet treat at mochi-making event
Japanese Club participants making mochi while bonding at the table. Photo courtesy of Bridget Cooper.
By Emmett Roman
Staff Reporter
On April 26, the Japanese Club hosted their mochi-making event in the Learning Commons. At this event, students and faculty were able to use products such as azuki beans, mochi rice flour, sugar and water to create mochi. “One of our Japanese instructors, Mariko Kawaguchi, taught our Japanese Club members, along with guests, how to make mochi rice cakes with azuki bean paste filling,” Bridget Cooper, the club’s advisor, said. “She was assisted by Sarinna Areethamsinkul, a professional chef. Our 20 or so attendees enjoyed mixing the mochi rice dough, cooking it in the microwave, rolling it out, and forming the small mochi rice cakes. Kawaguchi-sensei's homemade bean paste was a special treat.”
Mochi is a traditional Japanese rice cake made from mochigome (a sticky rice) to create that sticky, stretchy and chewy texture. It is common at celebrations like weddings and holidays.
Bridget Cooper has been the Japanese Club’s advisor for several years, and through that has hosted many different events for the club. Some previous events this academic year have been attending a special Studio Ghibli music performance by the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and the club going to a Japanese restaurant.
The Japanese Club welcomes all to experience Japanese culture through several different events. Those further interested in the Japanese club can either read more on LCC’s website or The Lookout’s previous article, “The Japanese Club celebrates Japanese culture with new passions.”
“This event is all about having fun making and sharing Japanese traditional rice cakes,” Cooper said. Pictured from left to right: Megan Doi, program coordinator for the Japan Center for Michigan Universities at Michigan State University; Jay Briones, academic success coach; Bridget Cooper, advisor for the Japanese Club; and Mariko Kawaguchi, LCC Japanese faculty.
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