Enshū-no-mori

Crunchy and delicious texture made with "Mugi-kogashi" (Hattai-ko)

“Enshū-no-mori” is made by “Odorii Gekkaen,” a historic confectioner that has had a store in Enshu Morimachi, Shizuoka Prefecture’s “Little Kyoto of Enshu,” since 1932.

“Enshu” is the old name for the region that used to be called “Toutoumi Province” which is now Hamamatsu City, Iwata City, Kakegawa City, and Omaezaki City in the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture.

The package says “Mugikogashi manju” (barley flour). Mugi-kogashi” is made by frying and grinding barley, etc. into a powder, which is often called “Hattai-ko (wheat flour)” in some regions.

It was a common household food in the Edo period (1603-1867), and even today it is a traditional ingredient used to make rakugan, a type of Japanese confectionery. It is said to have been a favorite food of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The manju dough made of “Mugi-kogashi” is very delicious. The crispy texture and the aroma of barley are delicious, and the refined sweetness of the white bean paste and chopped chestnuts inside are a perfect match. I especially liked the sprinkling of powdered sugar and the taste of the dough made from “Mugi-kogashi”.