A Relaxing Taste of Spring

Feb. 2018 -no.1

The season for cherry-blossom pink

Cherry blossoms immediately bring spring to mind, yet tableware in their soft, delicate pink can be surprisingly hard to find. At the time of this feature, POTPURRI introduced a seasonal cherry-blossom pink for the Våg series. Let these gentle colors bring a little spring to a quiet break.

Uki Hoshi: a sweet taste of spring

At first glance, Uki Hoshi may look like konpeito sugar candy. This traditional Niigata sweet is actually made by coating glutinous-rice crackers in flavored sugar syrup. The rice center gives a gentler sweetness than ordinary konpeito and lets the individual flavors come through. To enjoy it in the traditional way, put a teaspoonful in a cup and pour in hot water. After a little while, the sugar coating dissolves and the rice pieces float to the surface. That is the moment to enjoy it: the tiny pieces look like drifting stars. Enjoy it soon after adding water for a crisp rice-cracker texture, or wait a little longer for the chewy softness of glutinous rice. The light sweetness and aroma of the sugar coating spread through the water. Try adding them to tea or milk. The ginger flavor turns black tea into ginger tea, while the strawberry flavor gives warm milk a fruity sweetness. Enjoy a new taste and texture in a familiar drink. Use a little more than you would with plain hot water—the addition may become a talking point at teatime. They are delicious eaten just as they are, too. The crisp rice center and gentle sugar coating make an appealing combination. Ginger has a lively spicy note, mint is refreshing, and strawberry has a sweet-tart, nostalgic flavor. Each has enough character to accompany coffee, matcha or cocoa.

Original POTPURRI packaging

Uki Hoshi's spring-colored packaging makes it an easy small gift, carrying a little hint of the season to its recipient. The design takes inspiration from the lively sight of sweets tumbling in a large pan and the sparkle of stars. Pair it with Våg's light, petal-like forms for a gift that feels like giving flowers. Cherry-blossom pink also joined Sazanami in the Teshio small-plate collection. Sazanami's rounded shape holds little morsels snugly. For this spring collection, a seasonal pink accompanied the regular light blue and warm ivory. Paired with matching Uki Hoshi sweets, it made a small gift for the Dolls' Festival or a cherry-blossom picnic.