Ad on Foods

Hello. It is still cold and raining outside today. On such day, I prefer to go to work than stay at home! Hope it clears up by the weekend.

Due to the recession, consumers are holding the line on spending. What kind of sales strategies do you see at stores?

Last week, I saw on TV that the company called Plus Impact has launched a new service called "Ad on Foods" in December 2008. It is designed to print ads on discount stickers on foods. The sticker is called ure-seal (happy sticker). The discount amount is about 30yen (30cents) and the cost of ads are covered by advertisers. In this way, both consumers and advertisers can be happy!

I haven't seen this sticker on food yet at stores, but I hope it helps us all save money someday.

This is all for today.
Have a good one!

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White Strawberries

Hi! The high today is 50F (10C) and raining every day! It seems like the weather went back to the winter!

Few days ago, I saw white strawberries called "hatsukoi-no-kaori" (scents of the first love) on TV. It is now available at $10 per piece at department stores!
Those berries are created by Miyoshi Agritech Co. in Yamanashi prefecture. They spent more than 10 years to create white berries which are as sweet and succulent as the red ones! Despite the high prices, they are a hit with consumers and used at hotel restaurants as well! The company says they can't keep up with production!!!
Very interesting, but I don't think I'm gonna get one to try out. It is way too expensive!

Anyway, there are too many stuff that I cannot go far enough to purchase. For instance, at the gym, they sell personal trainer program ($60 per hour) for people who can't make a change by themselves. Actually, my fat is not burning at all (it went almost back to the start), so I am thinking of taking this program, but still can't decide... Also, speaking of eyelash extensions, they sell mascara that you can wear over the extensions at $30, but this is too expensive for me to have it in addition. Moreover, the massage machine I wrote the other day, I still haven't decided to get it. They all are NOT necessary, so that is why I can't decide... I know.

However, my boyfriend bought me the juke tower for my Christmas present that he hasn't get me yet! Yay! But I just thought I should have asked him to buy something necessary... like L'OCCITANE products...
Anyway, it gonna arrive today, so I am looking forward to it ;)

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Twinkle Chocolate

Recently I bought a classic sweet: "Twinkle Chocolate"!
It is sold at 100yen ($1) and still available since when I was small.
Inside the egg shaped chocolates, you can find small & colorful sugar candies and chocolates. Also it comes with a sheet of glittering stickers.
They are really cute :)


I found a commercial of that time. It brings back memories!!!


Is there any sweet that has long been available in your country?!
I wish they won't discontinue the production.

Anyway, yesterday I had a dinner for free. One of my dishes (starter) was forgotten, so they didn't charge me! What a service!!!

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Golden Eho-Maki

Writing the same thing as last year, February 3rd is Setsubun. It is the day before the beginning of Risshun (spring season). On Setsubun, we cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called Mamemaki (bean scattering). On this day, it is customary now to eat uncut maki-zushi called Eho-Maki ("lucky direction roll") while facing the yearly lucky compass direction, determined by the zodiac symbol of that year.

The lucky direction of the year 2009 is east-northeast. If you eat Eho-Maki facing in that direction it will bring you luck. But just remember you have to eat all without speaking! Say "delicious" after you complete it ;)

The image here is Eho-Maki that I made last year. It's sushi rice is colored gold with curry powder. Don't you feel lucky?! Also, I used seven lucky ingredients including lucky colors such as red and yellow: anago (conger eel), boiled shrimp, cucumber, red bell pepper, kinshitamago (sliced egg crepe), sakura denbu (seasoned shredded codfish), and black olive.

Hmm... What kind shall I make this year...

Will see! I will post it next year on this day again if I still keep my diary ;)

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Reversed Chocolate

Today is sunny again, but we need to be careful not to catch the flu when the air is dry! I wear a mask on the train, gargle and wash my hands for protection!

Anyway, here in Japan, women give chocolate to men on Valentine's Day. Then funny, but on 3/14, men give gifts (used to be candies) to women in return for the chocolate they were given. So some women give chocolate with expectation, out of courtesy!
However, this year, Valentine's Day is on Saturday, so many chocolate manufacturers expect the downturn in sales: no work or schools, so women are expected to buy only the chocolate for someone special! Thus, some of the chocolate manufacturers promote "reversed chocolate" to target men to give chocolate to women. This morning, I saw on TV that Godiva has a Valentine's Day chocolate that costs $15 a piece in a jewel-box-like box!!! Also, there are some funny ones which packages are printed in reverse. The image above is one of them.

How about in your country?
I should tell my boyfriend about "reversed chocolate" and ask him to take me out for dinner! Ha-ha ;)

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Cloned Hidagyu Beef on Tables?!

Hi! No snow today, but sleety rain is forecast for today :(

Day before yesterday, I saw an interesting news on TV and on the Internet.
"Japanese researchers have successfully cloned what is believed to have been the progenitor ox of Gifu Prefecture’s ‘‘Hidagyu’’ beef, prefectural officials said Tuesday. The successful cloning of the ox, which died in 1993 and was preserved by freezing, could help to revive cattle with higher quality meat."
Researchers clone ox known as 'father of Hidagyu' beef
Cloning breakthrough raises prospect of creating calves from supermarket beef
Image is from Takayama Green Hotel.

Why Japanese insist on quality?!
I don't much care for the beef, so I want scientists to put an importance on safety... I don't think I want to eat it although cloned beef is said to be safe in other countries.

Do you think cloned beef is perfectly safe?

Monday is "Seijin no hi" (Coming-of-Age Day), so we are off again! Three-day weekend, yay!

Have a good one ;)

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Weird Curry Snacks

Hi! It is raining and we are in the high 50Fs (10Cs) today.

Sometimes, my co-workers buy something weird for souvenir. Few weeks ago, one guy bought "curry flavored ramune (lemon pop)" from Yokosuka. The catch line says "Indian will be amazed" but it amazes Japanese, too! First, it has a sweet taste, but pretty hot and spicy afterwards in your mouth and stomach! Yuck!!!

Another souvenir was "soup curry caramel" from Hokkaido. The package says "meditation version"... Yes. Truly hope I could forget this flavor... It is also sweet at first but spicy, like you eating caramel with curry powder! Ew!!!

There are many weird snack souvenirs in Japan everywhere!!! Never will buy again, but newsy, right?!

Changing my topic, last night, I had a fight with my boyfriend while texting... He didn't come home... I was frustrated with something... of course my supervisor, he is slow + he has a bad breath (he smokes), which makes me more frustrated during the meeting!!! Sorry my honey...

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Home Bakery - Bread Machine

Time flies! It is already December, my birth month! I wish I could celebrate my birthday without aging...

Do you know "Home Bakery"? It is a bread machine. To use, you simply need to place your unmixed ingredients in and choose your setting! The machine alerts you once your bread is ready. It doesn't only make bread, but prepares dough, cakes, jam, cookie and pasta dough!!! Zojirushi has 2 types of bread machines(Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker and Home Bakery Mini Breadmaker) available for overseas.

Anyway, there was a contest which prize was a Home Bakery. I did my best, but unfortunately I lost it. It's just my luck. Never get what I want...
It is about 200 bucks, so I know I can get it someday, but someday is someday... Because if I'm gonna get something, the next is Loccitane Immortelle, or maybe eyelash extensions! Ha-ha ;)

Okay, I gotta go now.
I hope I can post some recipes for Christmas this month!

Bye for now!

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Ratatouille Ideas

Hello! Today, the temperature is 5C (10F) lower and colder than yesterday, due to cold winds blowing down from the north! I didn't want to get up this morning, you know...

Anyway, last time, I posted my Ratatouille recipe. My recipe serves only 2, but some recipes serve a great amount that you might not be able to finish up at once. Here I will show you that it can be used in many different ways.

Ratatouille Cheese Bowl: Sprinkle cheese over the ratatouille rice bowl.









Ratatouille Hand Roll: Wrap ratatouille with nori and sushi rice.









Fish Saute, Ratatouille Sauce: Pour ratatouille over the saute of fish.






Butterfly Fruit Nut Rye Bread with Ratatouille: Stand 2 slices of fruit nut rye bread on cream cheese, garnish ratatouille.







I hope you find them helpful ;)

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Beaujolais Nouveau

Do you drink Beaujolais Nouveau on the release day?

Drinking Beaujolais Nouveau has become a popular event in Japan. Every third Thursday of November, various events are held around the country! Interestingly, Beaujolais Nouveau goes on sale in Japan earlier than in Europe, because there is a time difference.

Anyway, I once went to the Neo Village of Tokyo International Forum. Neo Village is a group of food stalls and they open stalls at Tokyo International Forum every year on the Beaujolais day. We can enjoy dishes from many countries with Beaujolais Nouveau! The year I went there was so cold that I haven't been there since then. Ha-ha!

Well... Enjoy yourselves!!!
Happy Beaujolais day ;)

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Content Reduced Product...

The high is 68F (20C) but the air is dry, so it is really chilly in the morning and in the afternoon. I need to keep my hands moist with cream!!!

This cold weather makes me really sleepy. I thought I would doze off last night, so I went to bed immediately!

Anyway, I love granola bars. I sometimes buy Asahi's boxed granola bars (image on the left) when it's on sale. It's original price is about $3.15 (incl. tax) and used to sell at $1.65 (on sale) at drug stores, but after the rapid increase in crude oil prices, they kept the price at $1.99. Yet, I still think the price is attractive, so I bought some when they are at $1.99.
Last Sunday, I again found it at $1.99, so I bought 2 boxes... HOWEVER!!! When I opened the box, there were only 5 bars in the box! There should be 6!!! I thought I lost one or whatever, and looked around but still couldn't find it :( Then after a while, I checked the nutrition label and found that it states "5 bars per box"... sucks! They should reduce the size of the box as well!!! I don't think I'm gonna buy it anymore, at least I find it at $1.65...

My blog friend jo just had the similar experience!!!
Food Product Packaging Getting Chintzy! Tips For Saving A Buck!

Isn't it too bad!? I think now manufacturers make no bones about doing that by tacit agreement...

Changing my story. Do you know Tetsuya Komuro? I am very shocked to hear the news that he was arrested... I love his music and he was in my time.
Japanese music legend Komuro arrested for fraud

Few days ago, Hotmail changed it's inbox layout again :(
I know I will get used to it soon, but I hate this kind of change...

I hope something good may come soon!

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Portrait Bento

Hi! It is again nice and sunny today. The high will be 71F (22C). In autumn, we have clear sky! Yesterday, on TV news, I learned 2 things that I've been wondering for a long time but didn't go far enough to find out. One is about the clear sky I just mentioned. I always thought that the sky in summer is foggy and they said that is because of the warm humid air from the south. In autumn, the cold dry air comes from the north which lowers the amount of vapor, makes the sky blue.

Another thing I learned was about artificial nails! Until I started to cook, I used to wear those. I glued them on my nails and wore them about a week. However, one day I realized there was green stuff under the nails when I removed. Mold?! I didn't even search but it was as suspected! I saw on the news that it can happen and some people have spoiled their nails! How scary!!!

Back to my topic! I will show you something funny today ;) Do you know bento? Bento is a home-packed meal in a lunchbox. Usually packed with rice. I don't make bento often, but one day I made it for my boyfriend for dinner (because I was sure he doesn't want to take this with him for lunch at work!). Can you tell what this is? It's my boyfriend's portrait! Ha-ha!!! I drew it with seasoned kelp. The face is 3D because I piled the rice.

I think I'd better write my post in the morning. No drowsiness. Ha-ha ;)

Okay, have a good day!!!

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