SUITE SWEETS JAPAN

On White Day (3/14), my boyfriend and I attended an exhibition called Suite Sweets Japan, where you can find the latest sweets from around the world. It was held at Tokyo dome city from 3/13-3/15, while International Patisserie Grand Prix 2009 (world's top-class pastry chefs' contest) was ongoing.

The exhibition was small in scale, but there were many interesting events on stage. We saw a wedding cake demonstration by chef Tsumagari. He and his disciples built up 6.5feet (2m) high & 132lbs (60kg) heavy wedding cake in about an hour! It was shaky at first so we all were worried, but they made-up! Surprisingly enough, it stopped shaking when it's completed. The chef is a good entertainer! He asked us if there is any couple who wants to cut the wedding cake. I immediately asked my boyfriend but he shook his head... so the other couple whose partner is aggressive got the chance! However, the chef again said we all could have a chance to take picture with the cake, so I immediately ran and lined up. Of course the line was closed soon after having a long line of people waiting! I think I was right that I didn't ask my boyfriend and ran!

The cake was cut and passed out to the first 300 people. I wanted to try it out, but the time they would pass out was after a couple of hours so we gave up. Actually, my boyfriend didn't want to wait... I knew he was hungry for dinner, so we left the exhibition.

For dinner, we had sushi at a department store in Shinjuku. Of course I ate my favorite fish, anago (conger eel)! It was really delicious and was close to the anago that my poor grandpa caught.

The high today is 68F(20C) again! I hope the weather won't drop till Saturday, since I am going to attend my friend's wedding!!!

Tomorrow is a holiday, Vernal Equinox Day! Yay!!! But unfortunately, my boyfriend caught a heavy stomach flu yesterday and it is said that the flu won't be cured for at least 5 days! I need to be careful not to pick up his cold before the wedding. Of course he took a day off today...

Because of this current recession or somehow, there are so many train injury accidents. Many train lines are delayed every morning. Too bad...

Let's do our best!!!
See you next week :)

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Ikanago no Kugini

Good morning!
Yesterday, I was going to post about the wedding cake event but somehow I couldn't find time to... I will tonight or tomorrow!

Anyway, on Sunday, my mom gave me Tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce) made with Ikanago (sand eel/sand lance). We call it "Ikanago no Kugini" in Japanese. I'm writing the same thing as last year but my grand mother, who lives in Hyogo prefecture, cooks a few kilograms of "Ikanago no Kugini" every year. Ikanago no Kugini is a famous Tsukudani there. It is usually cooked and eaten around the end of February or early March, when the fish is about an inch long. After its season, Ikanago goes deep in the sea where is cooler. Then it goes under the sand and aestivate. I love to eat this tsukudani with white rice! I think I can eat rice endlessly with this!

I was waiting for her Ikanago no Kugini to arrive but I again missed the chance to learn the recipe from her this year. I think I should get into action the next year!!!

These two days, the high is 68F(20C)! We don't need a heavy winter coat but cedar pollen and yellow sand (carried to Japan by the wind from deserts on the Chinese continents) have been circulating in the air. We can't bear to be parted from masks.

Have a good day!!!

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Chocolat BEL AMER

Spring has come! It is very nice and warm today. The high is 60F(16C)! It will be up to 68F(20C) at midweek temporarily.

On White Day (3/14) my boyfriend gave me a set of BEL AMER's Palet Chocolat and Mendiant. On that day, we were going to attend Suite Sweets Japan, which is an exhibition where you can find the latest sweets from around the world, so I didn't expect him to get something in advance! But thank you my honey, he was right! I didn't find anything I like at the exhibition. Anyway, the wedding cake event at the exhibition was interesting. I will write about it tomorrow with some pictures I took ;)

Changing my story, I had a lunch with merce-san and her hubby (Japanese) from Philippines today. We had a good time!!! They are now in Tokyo for about a month. They gave me a nice set of coasters, spoons, etc... from Philippines. Also her hubby gave me CDs that he has released! Sorry that I met them with my hands empty, wearing my corporate uniform... I will think of something nice when I see them the next time!!!

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The Day Before White Day

On White Day (3/14), men give gifts (used to be candies) to women in return for the chocolate they were given on Valentine's Day. Since tomorrow is Saturday (no work), my co-workers gave me some sweet treats! I didn't expect something in return, so I was really good-humored today at work. Very simple girl! Ha-ha!!!

One guy gave me fondant au chocolat of 36sticks. The other guy gave me ganache balls. I tried the fondant au chocolat with other girl and guys since he gave me four of them. It was sophisticated and was not very sweet. I thought I could eat them all by myself, but of course I didn't. I was afraid of getting pimples, seriously!!! The ganache balls, I saved them for the next week ;)

I was partly having a bad day but those sweet stuff made me happy!

I don't expect that much but I hope my boyfriend has an idea for White Day, tomorrow! Will see...

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Gussumin

Hi! How many hours of sleep do you get every night?
Me? I get 5-6 hours of sleep a night... I wish I could sleep more, but I have too much to do in a day.

But recently, I had a chance to try a drink called "Gussumin" that improves the quality of sleep. Actually, I won 3 bottles as a free sample. It is not a medicine. It is a drink that combines tomato vinegar from fully ripened tomatoes and GABA. Lion and Ota Sleep Center have found that tomato vinegar and GABA helps improve sleep quality in 2006 (Reference). I didn't believe in their research findings for a long time, but it really did work, amazingly!

Last month, I had a day that I really thought I couldn't wake up in the morning, so I had the "Gussumin" before I go to bed. The next day, I didn't feel tired at all! To make sure, I tried it again on a different day and it did work the same! Is this because I didn't expect too much from it?

What is good about it is it contains only 8kcal per bottle, allows drink before sleep! I think I should get one for my boyfriend since he is busy without a good sleep for about a week! Let me make an experiment on him!

By the way, it is pretty expensive. It costs 250yen ($2.50) per bottle, so I don't think I'm gonna drink it that often.

Good night!

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Magic Fruit Sauce!

Hi! It is nice and sunny but large amounts of pollen are expected. I need to be careful not to develop hay fever!

Today, I went out to eat lunch with my co-worker after a long time, since it rained for more than a week until today!!! We went to our favorite cafe, but unfortunately they changed the menu. Also, they stopped offering a discount :( Might be the effects of the recession...

Anyway, I really love the fruit sauce from Karuizawa (a popular tourist spot). I think I wrote that my parents went there recently. At that time, they bought me 2 bottles of fruit sauce for souvenir. Actually, it is my second time to try this out, but I'm saying it out loud, it is really delicious!



The sauce makes especially the plain yogurt taste good! I think I can eat a pint in a minute!!! If you have a chance to visit Karuizawa (Prince Shopping Plaza and so forth), I recommend you to get it! To tell the truth, every day I wake up looking forward to eating yogurt with this sauce!

Have a good day!

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My Accomplishments

Today it is sunny but I am really drowsy all day long X(

I will list my recent accomplishments after so long!

On 2/16, my Microwave Cooked Kelp Quiche won an "A" award at the kelp cooking contest organized by Japan Kelp Institution. The prize was a large sheet of kelp. I've never used this large one in my life...





On 2/27, my Azuki (Read Bean) Simmered Pumpkin Pork Rolls won a gold award at Suntory's contest that asked for recipes that goes good with their new happoshu (low-malt beer) called Kinmugi. I've got 2 dozens of Kinmugi for my boyfriend ;)




On 3/1, as I wrote before, I doubly won the prize for participation and received 11lbs (5kg) of Koshihikari harvested in Uonuma area of Niigata prefecture!







On 3/3, my Healthy Japanese Style Mitsuba (Cryptotaenia) Hamburger Steak won SHARP AQUOS 42 inch at Ajinomoto's hamburger steak recipe contest using their umamichomiryo (the seasoning made of amino acid, which is the tasty flavor of tangle, that makes the food tasty). Though we don't have enough place to put this TV, I am happy to win such a wonderful prize!

On 3/10, my Beef Cutlet Sandwich appeared in a food magazine called Lettuce Club (P.108). It is again a very small article but I am glad to be chosen!



Last but not least, I have won some samples again. On 2/17, I won 3 chocolate-like magnets. On 2/27, I won few bags of granola samples. On 2/27, I won 3 bottles of black vinegar drinks. Then on 3/2, I won Lékué's steam case and asked to submit a recipe using it.

Am I writing too much in detail?
Thanks for reading, always...

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Point Cards

Do you get point cards if available?

I do, but I don't want to carry many cards with me so sometimes I deliberate a long time. In January, the cafe I used to go closed, so I started go to a different cafe near station. For the first 2 times, I thought I wouldn't go there that often, so I didn't make a point card, but on Saturday, when I went there for the 3rd time, I thought I should better make one. At the register, the cashier told me that if I have the receipts of the past purchases, I can still get points! However, I realized that I have shredded them the day before when I organized my wallet...
But sometimes I have a run of luck! The receipts I shredded got jammed, so I gave up and threw away as-is. Do you think I can get points with those?!

Changing my story, I have sore muscles all over the body... Yesterday, the personal trainer came to me and talked to me for about an hour (about enrolling the program, etc...) while I was training on the step machine. I was actually exhausted but since he is a trainer, I thought I shouldn't stop exercising... How pretentious of me...

The weather is not nice again. But it seems like everyone is healthy under this bad weather. Funny but many people around me got sick when the sun came out! My orthodontist went into the hospital last week :( I hope he gets well soon and hope my braces won't break until he comes back...

Take care!!!

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Now Solved the Problem!!!

This morning, I spent too much time on the computer since I had a trouble getting online (disconnected from the Internet!) everytime I view my site! I visited my blog buddies' page and the same thing happened.

Then finally, I realized one of the gagets was the cause! I removed it and everything went fine...

Time might have solved the problem, so I shouldn't be this addicted to this issue.

Now I'm gonna be late! I have to leave!

Damn it!!!

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Koshihikari

How often do you eat white rice?

I eat it almost three times a day since my boyfriend doesn't prefer to eat bread in the morning. I used to have bread and coffee in the morning but I changed.

Luckily I doubly won 11lbs (5kg) of Koshihikari at the contest which I wrote the other day. Koshihikari is the most popular variety of rice cultivated in Japan (Niigata prefecture) and it's taste is said to differ per region. Koshihikari, harvested in Uonuma area of Niigata prefecture, is rated with the very best. I knew that the Uonuma rice tastes good, but never have tried it because it costs more than $50 (5,000 yen) per 11lbs (5kg). I usually pay $16 (1,600yen) per 11lbs (5kg) for other rice varieties such as Akitakomachi or Hitomebore.

So, what is said to be the good rice?
The amount of protein and amylose in the rice is used as a guide to measure the deliciousness of rice. In general, lower the content of those two are said to be glutinous and tasty!

There are 4 reasons why Koshihikari is supreme:
1. Water from melting snow.
2. Fertile ground.
3. Perfect climate condition.
4. Excellence in technique and wholeheartedness of the farmers.

This morning, I cooked Koshihikari and made onigiri (rice balls) for our breakfast. It was amazingly tasty! I wish I could eat this rice everyday... You don't want to use this rice for fried rice. You might want to eat it with pickled ume or okazu (a side dish) that goes good with white rice!

We have sun today, but it is going to rain from tomorrow till next Tuesday again :( All my umbrellas are at home, so I wish it rains in the morning the next time...

See ya!

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Romanesco Broccoli

It is still gloomy outside. We won't be seeing the sun until next week :(

Do you know romanesco broccoli?
It's a broccoli and cauliflower cross. One day, when I shopped with my boyfriend, he brought me this vegetable and showed me but I ignored him. However the vegetable was featured on TV the other day, so now I am curious to know how it tastes! (Sorry honey...) It costs about 4 bucks per bunch, so too expensive to try out. But anyway, is it only me who don't like the way it looks... kind of makes me feel sick...

Speaking of broccoli, it reminds me of "stick señor". It's a broccoli and Chinese kale called kailaan cross. I want to try this out someday, too!

Yesterday, I felt really depressed about my camera stuff, so I didn't feel like going to the gym... but now I regret that I didn't go, so I will tonight!

See you again!!!

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