Kiritanpo, Akita
Kiritanpo is a specialty of the Akita Prefecture. It is made up of mashed fresh rice that was formed on Japanese cedar skewers then toasted in front of a fireplace. In the picture it is on the left side of the dish. Kiritanpo is usually served in a soup based meal like nabe. When I was visiting a friend she asked what we wanted to eat prior to arrival through line. I told her anything is fine as long as it isn’t spicy. She asked if I had ever eaten kiritanpo and I said no. Next thing I know we are having it for dinner. I didn’t know what it was and she just told me that it is a specialty of Akita. When I ate the kiritanpo it was delicious and then she told me what it was made out of. If you are ever in the Akita area be sure to try this out because it is better to eat it there than anywhere else.