Japanese Snacks

On Sunday, my husband came home from Osaka with lots of goodies.

Before this business trip, I specially reminded him to buy "Ajari mochi", a Kyoto specialty which can be bought only in Kansai area.

I first tried this mochi based cake with red bean filling in January and fell in love with it immediately. The texture of the skin is chewy and the red bean paste goes very well with hot Japanese tea.

Highly recommended if you are going to Kansai area. You should be able to find it in major departmental stores like Hanshin.


Besides the mochi, my husband also bought a variety of seafood flavoured rice crackers (senbei) as he knows that I don`t fancy the traditional hard type with soya sauce. These thinly sliced crackers were perfect for my afternoon tea.




Lastly, I have to mention these delicious madeleines baked by my mother in law. She woke up early on Sunday morning to bake these before my husband boarded the 8am bus from Osaka.

I bake madeleines too but hers were so moist with a pleasant lemon aftertaste. Looks like I still have a lot to learn from her.

Hina matsuri, Doll Festival

March 3rd is also known as the Japanese Doll Festival or Hina matsuri.

On this day, families with young daughters celebrate this event at home wishing for their daughter's future happiness and prosperity.

They will decorate platforms with red cloth and display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, court ladies, attendants, five musicians and warriors in traditional court dresses of the Heian era.


These dolls are usually an heirloom of the household, handed down from generation to generation.

During the festival,they are displayed for a few days.After March 3rd, parents have to keep the dolls in their boxes as soon as possible because there is a popular superstition that says if they don't, their daughter will not be able to find a good husband or will marry late.

We got to know in the news that the World Folk Doll Museum in Suzaka City is exhibiting more than 1000 hina dolls collected from all over Japan specially for the doll festival. Hence, we took the opportunity to visit this museum today.

We were glad to know that this museum also houses more than 2000 traditional dolls from all over the world. Here are some of the photos which I took.





The highlight was of course the 1000 hina dolls and other ornaments displayed on 30 platforms.

This is the first time the museum is exhibiting these dolls and it took 20 staff 2 whole days to complete displaying all of them.

The 6m high platform was an extraordinary sight.

Aromatherapy bath salt

Last Sunday, I attended the second part of `Aromatherapy for Living` conducted by a trained aroma therapist. We were taught which kinds of aroma essential oils are therapeutic for relaxation, sleep, boasting confidence etc.

Let me share part of what I have learnt :

For relieving dry skin : rosewood, frankincense, palmarosa

For well being of respiratory system: teatree, peppermint, yukari
For relieving muscle ache pain: juniper, chamomile,rosemarry
For a good night sleep : juniper, lavender

After learning about the different properties, we could choose our favourite oils and add a few drops into the bath salts provided to create our own aroma bath salts.

Aromatherapy bath salts are a wonderful way to turn a simple bath into a spa-like experience.Dissolved in a hot bath, it is absorbed through the skin to replenish the body's magnesium levels. This can help to relieve stress and create relaxation benefits.

After sniffing more than ten different types of oil, I finally decided on a combination of Lemon and Ylang Ylang aroma oil for my bath salt.

Lemon - I love the delightful refreshing aroma nearly similar to the fruit itself. This oil has rejuvenating properties and helps to uplift the spirit.

Ylang Ylang - also known as 'flower of flowers`. This exotic sensual oil has soothing properties. The flower fragrance is also believed to produce sensual delight in both women and men.

Lastly, I added a handful of dried rose petals for a romantic touch.

Its Bath Time!

Sunday Brunch

Weekends are usually spent indoors since it is chilly outside.

Recently, we spend most of the time keeping ourselves warm and enjoying good food in cafes.

On Sunday afternoon,we went out for brunch at one of my favourite cafes.


I had the seafood spaghetti while Takashi had the classic house pizza.

The pizza was handmade individually and grilled in a wood stone oven.


We love the light and simple pizza crust.

For desert, we shared a parfait.

We usually order the assorted ice cream parfait but I went the health conscious route on Sunday and ordered the yogurt parfait with apple, grapefruit, kiwi, banana, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and blueberry yogurt.

A wonderful sweet and sour combination.

Dinner on Friday

We have two important events to celebrate this month, our 3rd wedding anniversary and my husband`s birthday.

Since we have splurged on the French restaurant during my birthday, we decided to celebrate these two events together at home on Friday night.


I asked Takashi what he would like to have and his only reply was `corn soup`. Hence, I decided to whip up a Western themed feast.

First, we had the cream corn soup with home-made french bread.

For starters, I made some prawn and scallop rolls. The dip was tomato based with a tinge of lemon and tabasco.

Our main dish of the day was roast beef with baked potatoes.

I invested in a good chunk of quality Japanese beef which costed 800yen (S$10) per 100g.

The roast beef was a total success.

There was no desert to complete the course because I was simply too lazy to think of any.

We didn`t exchange any gifts or presents. Just sharing a quiet moment together and toasting to our 3 years of blissful marriage.

Setsubun no Hi

According to the Japanese lunar calendar, February 3 is called Setsubun no hi which means the beginning of spring. This day is widely celebrated at shrines and temples, performing bean throwing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits and bad luck.

When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in"). It is also customary to eat the number of beans, which corresponds to your age. This will rid you against any bad luck or misfortune.


After eating the roasted beans,we had futomaki sushi for dinner.

The recipe was from my mother in law with 7 kinds of fillings.


Its not difficult to make but I had to prepare some of the fillings a day before.

I hope we have chasen out all the bad luck and enjoy a good and fortunate year.

Roast Chicken Thighs

This is a very simple and yet delicious way of cooking chicken.
Just marinate it and leave it in the oven (200 degrees) for 40mins. The result is a tender juicy chicken with crispy skin. We usually avoid eating chicken skin but this was too delicious to resist.

Marinate
15g margarine/butter - softened
lemon juice for rubbing
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
All purpose herb seasoning
salt and pepper

Method:
Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and herb seasoning. Add some cracked peppers if you like. Rub into the skin and meat.
Using fingers, spread margarine and lemon juice evenly on the skin.
Marinate for at least 30mins.
Lastly, put it into the oven (200 degrees)and roast for 35-40mins.

Strawberry Sorbet

Ingredients
300cc water
60g sugar
8 fresh strawberries
50cc orange juice

1 egg white
20g sugar

Method
Stir the water and sugar in a saucepan over high heat until sugar dissolves.

Puree the strawberries with orange juice in food processor until smooth. Add strawberry puree to sugar syrup; stir to blend. Pour into a freeze safe container, cover and freeze for about 3 hours.

Stir the sorbet lightly with a fork from bottom to top. Freeze for another hour.

With a hand-held mixer, beat the egg white until frothy. While still beating, slowly add the sugar and beat on high speed until you get a thick creamy white mixture.

Mix quickly with sorbet. Freeze again.
Stir the sorbet every hour for 2 times. This will give the sorbet a smoother texture.

Makes 4 servings.

*You can make your own sorbet easily with your favourite fruits, a bit less sugar, less orange juice, add lemon juice or liqueur etc. If its too troublesome, you can skip the egg white step completely..just freeze the sorbet for at least 3 hours to get a firm consistency before serving.

Bonjour French

Last Saturday, my husband took me out for dinner at a French restaurant to celebrate my 30th birthday.

We normally go for Japanese or Chinese, but this year, after having heard so much about this restaurant, there was no doubt in my mind as to where we had to go.


Our first appetizer was sea urchin with scallops. I thought it tasted a bit weird.

Then we had the vegetable potage with Foie gras cream pudding. I didn`t like this too..haha



Next up was the baguette which tasted good as expected. We had the grapefruit sorbert next before the mains.

The mains were delicious. The veal chops were tender and succulent, grilled to perfection.


The foie gras melted pleasurably in our mouths with an accompanying sweet taste. However, I can`t help thinking of the calories that we are consuming.

For 6000 yen per person, it was a reasonably-priced meal. We enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant and the staff was attentive, not overbearing.

Not too bad for my first experience with french cuisine.



Pan-seared Foie gras

Grilled Veal chops

Tempura Vegetables

Desert - Apple Tart, Raspberry chocolate cake

Osaka-Dotonbori

My husband`s parents live in Osaka city.

As usual, we will find time to visit Dotonbori Street whenever we visit Osaka. It is one of the most entertaining places in Osaka.

This street is so `alive` , so different from Matsumoto and I love to soak myself in the city atmosphere. Once you enter the street, you won`t miss the smells of Takoyaki (Octopus Ball) and Okonomiyaki(Japanese pancake) found in almost every corner.

This is Osaka!

Osaka`s takoyaki and okonomiyaki is supposed to be the most delicious in all of Japan.

There are many symbols of Osaka found in Dotonbori, including snack manufacturer Glico's giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line.

The famous Crab landmark which is displayed in front of a famous crab speciality restaurant is also a hot spot for tourist photography.

Daruma Event

Last weekend, my neighbours held an interesting ceremony in their padi field.

Crowds of people attended the burning of the daruma dolls in the evening.

The daruma doll is a charm of good luck and protection in Japan. At the start of a new year, one eye is painted and a wish is made. The other eye is filled in when the wish is fulfilled.

Did you notice that the dolls that my neighbours burnt have two eyes? The burning of the darumas with two eyes is a purification ritual and the farmers` way of thanksgiving for plentiful harvest in the previous year.

Turning 30!

Happy Birthday to me!

Today, I turned 30. I still feel 29 but my biological clock is ticking away.

My birthday wishes are simple, health and happiness.

I must start to do my monthly self facials religiously and constantly remind myself to keep my body in shape. I don`t want to look like a fat sloppy auntie in my mid 30s..

Anyway, here`s a glimpse on what we had for dinner tonight.

Crispy noodles with seafood

Fried chicken wings - marinated the chicken wings for 4 hours

Fish cakes from Sendai ~ my sister in law sent these specially to us today.

Fruits Cocktail Jelly

Matsumoto Castle

We had a big snow storm in Matsumoto on Sunday.

Today, we drove to Matsumoto Castle for these beautiful views of the castle in the snow.

Snowing Weekend

Today, it snowed continuously for more than 10 hours. We have more than 20cm of accumulated snow on the ground.

It must be freezing outside but I just love to watch the snow flakes fall from the grey sky with a cup of hot drink.

Its fun to snow like this on a weekend when we just stay at home. It gets quite inconvenient on a working day or when we have errands to run.

I hope all the snow will melt tomorrow so we can shop for our weekly groceries without worrying about frozen roads.