Buddha's tea and water

Good morning.

White rice that has been polished and cooked cleanly, can be eaten and drunk as a matter of course in modern times, but it is easy to imagine that it would have been extremely valuable back in time, just going back in time for about 100 years.
I think they are making such offerings because they want people to enjoy something good to eat.

I think Hoke would be happy to drink coffee, tea, cider, etc. I tell my parishioners that if you eat bread in the morning, you can offer bread. Mochi is fine too. What is important is the feeling of respecting and cherishing Mr. Hotoke. An offering with a (mean) feeling that makes you want to laugh would be inappropriate as an offering.

　A memorial service is the act of chanting sutras or offering offerings to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and those who have died.
There are several classification systems for memorial services, but basically,
① Legal memorial service - reciting sutras and worshipping
② Offerings - Preparing offerings

There are various types of offerings, but the ones called five offerings are generally common.
The five gods refer to incense, flowers, lights, water, and food and drink (onjiki).

When you think of lights, you probably associate them with candles. However, it seems that candles were not made during the Buddha's time. The core was placed in a container filled with oil and the light was on.
Water is also called red (red). It is a phonetic word for Argha in Sanskrit. It refers to water offered to something sacred or precious. Therefore, offering water has a religious meaning. I think you are free to offer cider. (Although I don't actively recommend it)

As I wrote in the title of the answer, eating and drinking (eating and drinking) varies depending on the local climate and food culture. In China and Japan, tea has been revered as being expensive, valuable, and good for health, so I think it was offered before the Buddha. In the case of a country where there is no culture of drinking green tea, I think it is possible to offer tea or coffee. Similarly, since it's Japan, they serve rice, miso soup, and tsukemono, but depending on the country, I think it's common to serve bread, soup, and salad.
I think there are many households in Japan that eat bread for breakfast. In that case, I think it's okay to offer bread to a Buddhist altar.

Eating and drinking is normal in today's modern times
It used to be something I was really thankful for.
If there are any disasters even now
That is the time for the COVID-19 pandemic
I was thankful for my normal life a year ago
Everyone must have felt it.

What is the main thing to eat every morning
You can also give thanks by offering it to the Buddha
It's probably an expression of the feeling that “I can eat it safely today.”
It's not that important what you offer.
Whether breakfast is bread, noodles, or cereal
All you have to do is offer it.
Drinks too
All you have to do is share what you drink.

　I'll tell you about what I've learned.
① Offer water → say sprinkling (shasui) and it is shown in “Shoho Genzou/Washimaki” to have the Buddha wash your face. Think of it as a washbasin.
② Offer tea → We will offer not only tea, but also hot water, sweets, and tea. This is the order of hospitality for visitors. When customers arrive, they are greeted with hot water (hot water with sugar), sweets, and tea (matcha is preferred). An offering is made to welcome the Buddha.
③ Offer tea in the morning → offer tea and hot water to the Buddha's alarm.
④ Meal → Offerings will be made in the morning, noon, and evening. Basically, vegetarian cuisine (meat and fish are not used). In the morning, dishes that go well with porridge, such as porridge, takuan, sesame salt, etc. Lunch is rice, soup, 2 side dishes, pickles, etc. There is no meal in the evening. We don't eat food after 11 o'clock. In Theravada Buddhism, until lunch. In Zen Buddhism, dinner is called yakuseki (yakuseki). This is a word derived from “burning stone,” and it seems to be a relic of relieving hunger by wrapping a burnt stone with a cloth and putting it on your stomach.
⑤ Based on the basics above, I would like you to make your own arrangements and make offerings with sincerity. There was also an ascetic monk who offered coffee instead of tea to the Buddha in the morning at Eiheiji Temple where I practiced ascetic training. I think it's an ant when it comes to the reason it's an alarm.
I think it would be great if you offered with sincerity and pure feelings without playfulness or offense. However, when you put down an offering at the end, it's basically a memorial service for you or your family as a hand-me-down, so please have something you won't resist eating.