They are called Gomoku no Moto

Last week, like a good little Japanese girl I had to eat my mochi. It brings good luck for the new year and it is a family tradition. The only thing problem was that I didn't have any homemade mochi (which I have always had when I was in Utah or if my parents come and visit) so off to the Asian market I went. I quickly found the mochi, (I could tell it was the display because of all the other unprepared Asians swarming around it.) As I was walking around the store, I decided I wanted some other Asian comfort food. During the holidays, my dad usually will make 'gunny sacks'. They are seasoned fried bean curd that looks like a little sack that you can stuff with rice and prepared veggies (from a can) I walked down the aisle that it should have been on and looked all over. I could find the gunny sacks, but not the veggies. This is where I do not represent the Japanese people very well. I had no idea what the veggies were called, or what they actually were. So I decided to phone my dad and ask him. (he knows everything right?) Wrong. We both sat there trying to remember what it was called while I wandered aimlessly through out the rest of the store. By the end of the conversation, I was no closer to finding the missing veggies and my dad had displayed that he is no better of a Japanese person either! (but it was nice because we could laugh about it and give each other a hard time) My dad had decided that he would bring me a couple of cans (he knew where they were located in his local Asian Market in Utah) up in March when they visit next and I was happy with that.
But what came in the mail today? A sweet little care package filled with all sorts of delicious Japanese goodies, including Gunny sacks (which for future reference are called Inarizushi no Moto, seasoned fried bean curd) and veggies (called Gomoku no Moto, prepared vegatables)! Also in the pack are some ginger cookies, wafers, Mochi, some Botan rice candy and, of course, fortune cookies (my favorite. Where else can you get a great bit of advice from a dessert!) Thanks, Dad and Mom for the wonderful care pack. It just makes smile to see all the great treats! It also makes me hungry, off to cook....