The raindrop cake: What is it and why are we obsessed?
No, it's not a breast implant you've been seeing all over Twitter the last few days.
This past weekend New York chef Darren Wong debuted the "raindrop cake" at weekly food market Smorgasburg, and the Internet loves it.
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Wong was busy and therefore unable speak with us in detail, but did offer photos of his creation.
The raindrop cake originates in Japan where it is called mizu shingen mochi. The gelatin-like cake is made using agar, a clear, animal product-free version of gelatin.
Wong went to Japan and studied to perfect the dessert that resembles a raindrop. According to his website, he likens it to "that scene from A Bug’s Life where they drink water drops off of leaves."
It is flavorless, so Wong's version of the dessert comes with sweet syrup and kinako powder, a soybean powder, on the side.
Many people on Twitter are claiming the dessert is just "Jell-O," not fully understanding the differences in desserts across the world.
This kind of food is not that uncommon in Japanese culture. Maya Tanaka, a creative producer with Mahsable who is half Japanese, says other Japanese delicacies are made with similar ingredients.
Tokoroten is another dish made of seaweed and agar that has the same gelatinous look as the raindrop cake. Rather than being sweet, it's typically eaten as a savory dish with added sauce. "It can be anything because it doesn't really taste like anything. So you put sauce on it and then voila!" says Tanaka.
Kuzumochi is mochi covered in different sauces, syrups or the kinako powder.
Diep Tran, a Vietnamese journalist, grew up eating similar foods, like this coconut, coffee jelly treat. Tran says Jell-O-like substances are popular in Asian cultures, though it only appears to be reaching the mainstream U.S.
"I don't fault anyone wanting to expose foodies to a substance they haven't had before, but it's not a new trend. Just go to any Vietnamese sandwich shops and that jelly is there; it's just colored differently and tastes better than 'rain.' Or if you go to a bubble tea place and ask for jelly at the bottom, most of the time that jelly will be made with agar. It's just marketing and creating moments that can be Instagrammed."
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Chelsea Frisbie was interning at Mashable as the Lifestyle Section Intern. A SUNY Oswego Alum, she graduated with a degree in Broadcasting and Mass Communication and a minor in Gender Studies, and while there received several awards for her three talk shows and work in local news. Her favorite pastimes include watching Dr. Phil, practicing her Emmy acceptance speech, and subtly sneaking feminism into her daily conversations.
