Full bloom

The sakura season is cause for celebration in Japan, where 'blossom' telecasts report on where the trees are blooming. Although I've never been in the country during peak cherry-blossom season, I have tasted many dishes made with the beautiful white and pink flowers.

Trees grown for their blossom are different from the types grown for cherries; sakura fruit is edible but it's not as sweet and juicy as other types of cherry. With sakura, it's the blossom and leaves that are consumed. The Japanese make many sakura items that are available only briefly at this time of year: beverages, cookies (I love the Yoku Moku brand), rice crackers, mochi, pastries and ice cream. Japanese restaurants (including many in Hong Kong) feature sakura dishes, using the blossom and leaves as garnishes for savoury dishes and desserts.

You'll have a hard time finding fresh cherry blossom in supermarkets but shops that specialise in Japanese ingredients, such as Apita in Taikoo Shing, Fresh Mart in the basement of Sogo and City'super, sell a selection of sakura products including sake and rice crackers. I've also found salted sakura paste - which has a flavour similar to umeboshi (pickled green apricot) - at the bakery supply shop Twins (Yau Ma Tei, tel: 8111 3080; Wan Chai, tel: 8111 3090; Tsuen Wan, tel: 8111 3020). It is a beautiful deep pink and is delicious eaten with steamed Japanese white rice; mixed with other ingredients and used as a marinade; or stirred into chilled tonic water to make a refreshing drink.

Sakura shrimp have nothing to do with the cherry blossom; rather, some imaginative person gave them the name due to their colour and delicacy.