March 3rd is Hinamatsuri, the Doll’s Festival. In Japan, we eat chirashizushi to wish for the healthy growth and happiness of girls on that day. It is often decorated with several ingredients which have meanings behind them: prawn for long life, lotus root for good prospects, and beans for the hard-working spirit. Another typical dish for the celebration is Hishimochi, the diamond-shaped rice cake with 3 colors. Each color also has a meaning: pink colored with gardenia seeds is to ward off evil; white with water chestnuts represents purity and the prosperity of offspring; and green with tansy sprouts represents healthy growth and longevity. As each rain brings us closer to spring, it would be nice to spend this month feeling the colors of the season. Our pair of seasonal canelés for this month “Berry-Berry” and “Salty Nuts” are available from today, Monday, March 2nd. Berry-Berry canelés are very fresh and full of berries. Dried cranberries are mixed in the strawberry dough that is decorated with framboise jam and cranberries. Salty Nuts canelés with hazelnut dough and hazelnut fondant inside, are decorated with almonds on top. The saltiness brings out the roasted aroma of the nuts.

3月3日はひな祭りですね。日本では女の子の健やかな成長を幸せを願い、ちらし寿司を食べる習慣があります。飾りの海老は長生き、レンコンは見通しがきく、豆はマメに働けるという意味が込められているそうです。また、菱餅の色にも意味があり、クチナシの実で色付けされる桃色は魔除け、菱の実を入れた白は子孫繁栄や清浄、蓬(よもぎ)の新芽で色付けされる緑は健やかな成長や長寿を表しています。一雨ごとに春めいてくる頃ですが、色を感じて過ごす3月もいいですね。3月の季節のカヌレは「ベリーベリー」と「ソルティーナッツ」が明日3月2日(木)よりお目見えです。「ベリーベリー」はいちごの生地の中にドライクランベリーを入れ、自家製のフランボワーズジャムとクランベリーをのせたベリー尽くしのさわやかな一品です。「ソルティーナッツ」はヘーゼルナッツの生地の中にヘーゼルナッツフォンダンを絞り、アーモンドをのせました。ナッツの香ばしい味わいをお塩が引き立てます。