I took in my first bite. It was delicious. A slightly crisp exterior with a chewy interior. It was my first time trying Third Culture’s mochi donuts. Baked instead of fried, the donuts have the lightness of fried dough but keep the chewiness of butter mochi.
The mango-passion fruit savored of the tropics. The dark chocolate offered a rich and classic flavor. And the ube donut was topped with cocunut shavings, each bite a dance of sweet, earthy, and nutty.
We sipped our coffee as we conversed. Because coffee and conversation go so well together. So does coffee and donuts. And mochi.
I described how mochi is made and my love of the process…
Cooked rice is pounded in a stone mortar with a rough mallet, producing a sticky rice dough to form sweet and soft cakes.
Think of a single grain of rice. So insignificant, so easy to get lost, tossed aside. But when several grains comes together, it is shaped into something new, into mochi.
So often we think we can live life by ourselves, independent. And I love my independence. I find joy in the freedom of solitude. But we’re also designed for community, for accountability. We’re social creatures, meant to have people around us, helping us through life.
A single grain of rice pounded against itself would disappear, producing nothing. In order for the rice cake to form, the grains of rice are all in the mortar together. The grains are all getting pressed in, pounded, ground, together.
Carry one another’s burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
Burdens in life are the pounding of the mortar. I am pressed in by my struggles and ground into sorrows. But in the mortar together, surrounded by people who love me, who help me focus on God’s love, life is a little more bearable.
Life’s hard for everyone. Praise God. Everyone’s gone through trials, sorrows, suffering. It enables us to minister to each other, to carry one another’s burdens better. Life’s hard, but it’s lighter to carry the weight together.
Thousands of grains of rice, coming together to become one. That’s how to make mochi. And that’s how I think of community.
And now I’m really craving mochi.
Love love love. This is AMAZING! “So often we think we can live life by ourselves, independent. And I love my independence. I find joy in the freedom of solitude. But we’re also designed for community, for accountability. We’re social creatures, meant to have people around us, helping us through life.”
So so true Janele, I’m thankful to have YOU in my life!!
Nettie, you are def a social creature. But I also love seeing your joy in solitude w the Word. I’ve loved witnessing both in your life!
Third Culture has been at the SF Coffee Festival…so hopefully they’re there again!
They sell at every other coffee shop now so I wouldn’t be surprised lol
This is awesome and so God’s timing for me to have read! I too get enamored with the life of solitude that I would forget that we are also created by God to commune with others… I don’t think I’ve tried mochi before or atleast a really good one so I might try this place out!
You haven’t tried mochi!? Please please do!