Kyoto - Autumn Tea Sweets

Fancy sweets are often served in Japan as part of the tea ceremony, to precede informal matcha or even before or with regular green tea. This is especially true in Kyoto, where the tea ceremony tradition is more alive than elsewhere.

Tea sweets often don't taste as good as they look to Westerners, because the sweet part is generally made of red bean paste, which is not part of our dessert repertoire, although chestnuts, frequently used in autumn, are more consistent with Western sweet tooth. But whether you like them or not, you have to admit they are beautiful, nearly works of art at times. And in the autumn, with seasonal tastes (chestnut) and visual references, they are at their most gorgeous.

 Bobby Jay