Looking for Childhood Photos

This weekend, my darling and I both went back to our own family home to find childhood photos of ourselves. My darling went all the way back to his hometown (in Hikone) to find his.

As you might know, we need to create a childhood photo montage video presentation which will be shown at our wedding reception. In Japan, photo montage presentation is the highlight of entertainment for the guests. Combined with our favorite music, from childhood photos to dating and engagement photos, it is a special reflection on our past to tell the story of us, who eventually meet and fall in love.

Well, there were hundreds of albums at my family home so I couldn't select ones I want to use in a snap... I think I'll go back again since my family home is just a few-minute walk from where I live.

Yeah, our doggy was doing fine. I saw Tamagawa Fireworks from home which we saw up close last year.

How was your weekend?!

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Juicy Tender Simmered Eggplant and Shimeji

This is my favorite recipe! Shimeji is a Japanese mushroom which is rich in umami (savoriness) tasting compounds such as guanylic acid, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid. I combined it with hon-dashi (packaged dashi powder) to give more of umami for eggplant to absorb! This tender eggplant really works up our appetite and goes great with white rice. Mmm yummy :P

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Juicy Tender Simmered Eggplant and Shimeji

Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 15min
Number of servings: 2

Ingredients:
200g (0.4lb.) shimeji mushroom
200g (0.4lb.) Japanese eggplant
100g (0.2lb.) ground beef and pork
A
* 2 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tbsp. mirin (sweet sake)
* 1 tbsp. sake
* 1 tsp. hon-dashi (packaged dashi powder)
* 1 tsp. grated shoga (ginger root)
* a pinch of sugar
sesame oil

Directions:
1. Chop eggplant into chunks and soak them in water to remove the oxalic acid and drain. Remove tough base of shimeji mushroom and break into bite-sized chunks.
2. Heat sesame oil in a pan, cook (stir around) ground beef and pork, add A, eggplant, and shimeji mushroom, and simmer until the liquid is almost gone and tender.

My original recipe in Japanese is here.
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Have a good weekend!

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Yukari Marinated Cucumbers

Do you know Yukari (Red Perilla) Rice Seasoning?

Yukari is tangy blend based on red shiso leaves (red perilla plant). A flexible and flavorful traditional Japanese-style seasoning to sprinkle over rice, pasta and salads. I think most Japanese have it in their kitchen. It is good at everything!!!

Here, I will show you super easy recipe using Yukari. What other ingredient you need is Japanese cucumber. It looks like the picture on the right. You can also use English cucumber or mini cucumber. Those are close to it!

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Yukari Marinated Cucumbers

Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 5min or less
Number of servings: 2

Ingredients:
1 Japanese cucumber
a pinch of Yukari (Red Perilla) Rice Seasoning

Directions:
1. Partially strip the cucumber skin with a peeler (it just makes look good so not required), place the plastic wrap over the cucumber and beat them using a rolling pin.

2. Tear cucumber into pieces, sprinkle Yukari and toss lightly.





My original recipe in Japanese is here.
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Yeah, you can use Ume Furikake (sour pickled plum rice seasoning) instead.
Have a good one!!!

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Stir-Fried Watermelon Rind

We have sweltering days (temperatures have been above 35C/95F )almost daily. On such a day, I recommend you to eat a watermelon. It is very good for your health! It helps to beat the summer heat! Sugar (fructose and glucose) of watermelon gives you a power to your tired body. Also, it purifies your body. It eliminates toxins from your body and has antioxidant properties!

However, what do you do with the watermelon rind?! Do you throw it away?! Then, I have a good recipe that goes good with white rice ;)



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Stir-Fried Watermelon Rind

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 2

Ingredients:
200g (0.44lb.) watermelon rind (white part only)
1 tsp. salt
100g (3.5oz.) thinly sliced pork
50g (1.8oz.) carrot
100g (3.5oz.) bean sprouts
6 Chinese chive
small piece (about 1/2 inch) of shoga (ginger root)
A
* 1/2 tbsp. honey
* 1/2 tbsp. sake
* 1 tbsp. soy sauce
cracked black pepper
1/2 tbsp. starch
1/2 tbsp. sesame oil

Directions:
1. Remove hard green rind and weigh the white part on a scale. You may leave a bit of red portion.



2. Cut the watermelon rind (1.) into short and thin strips. Sprinkle salt over the strips, let stand for 5 minutes until soft and watery, then squeeze out excess water.


3. Also, cut the pork and carrot into strips. Trim the bean sprouts at both ends if you prefer. Cut Chinese chive into 2 inches long. Cut shoga into thin strips.


4. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, fry shoga until fragrant, add pork, carrot, bean sprouts, and watermelon rinds, and Chinese chive in order. Add A and stir-fry until the seasonings blend, turn off the heat, add starch with the same amount of water, heat again to thicken the sauce, then sprinkle cracked black pepper to finish.

My original recipe in Japanese is here.
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Have a good day!

♥Please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel♥
http://www.youtube.com/ochikeron

♥Please "Like" me on Facebook♥
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♥Follow me on twitter♥
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http://twitter.com/alohaforever (Japanese)

♥My Cookbook♥

JVC Victor Inner-Ear Headphones HA-FXC71

Recently, I bought JVC Victor's high quality inner-ear headphones because my bling-bling ones didn't fit well in my ears and I felt uncomfortable listening to music...

These headphones were released on June 6, 2010 in Japan and awarded the Visual Grand-Prix prize for 2010!

Actually, I couldn't imagine paying over 50 bucks for the headphones but these were worth to buy. The sound quality is superb! You can truly enjoy your favorite music!!! My bling-bling ones cost me 20 bucks but was no use... I was fooled by the cute look!

- "Dual Cylinder Structure" cuts down the vibration loss
The vibration loss is decreased by "Metal Housing" adoption of a high rigidity stainless material in addition to "Dual Cylinder Structure" with built-in brass ring with large specific gravity in a hyperbaric body, and a clear sound in which the presence overflows clearly is reproduced.



- The "Vibration Control Gel" suppresses touch noise
The "Vibration Control Gel" is built in the body. An unnecessary vibration is decreased, and the touch noise transmitted from the code is suppressed.

- Silicon ear pieces come in 3 sizes
S, M, and L. Easy to wear and fit well.



What kind of headphones do you have?

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Yukata Dinner and Fireworks

On Saturday, my darling asked me to wear Yukata (casual summer kimono) for dinner. At first, I refused to wear it because I forgot how to wear it and was very muggy outside. My darling at last searched for an instruction at YouTube and taught me how... it took about an hour to wear it but I was happy with it. He-he :D

When we arrived at the restaurant, there were few people wearing Yukata. I wondered why but we enjoyed the night view of Tokyo Tower! Yes, it was a romantic place to celebrate our 7th anniversary. Then after few minutes, I saw fireworks in distance!!! It was Tokyo Bay Grand Fireworks Festival!!! What a surprise!!!

PRIVATE TABLE Mitamura is located in Ebisu. They serve Japanese prix-fixe menus using seasonal ingredients. The owner said they served foods at their best so that we can enjoy foods even if it rained and missed fireworks. Yeah, needless to say, everything was superb!!!

Thanks to my darling. It was such a memorable anniversary :D

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How Do You Organize Your Reward and Club Cards

I know I don't have to carry all my reward and club cards but what if the need arises?! Therefore I carry around those cards just in case...

I used to keep them in my wallet but my wallet finally overstuffed. So, later, I moved all those cards into an envelope. But as you know, an envelope is made of paper so it kept on breaking once in a while...

Then I came up with this idea!!! I bought a pencil case and put all those cards, and even coupons in it! I know there is a card case with dividers, but those are pretty bulky. Anyway, there are many cute pencil cases around, so you'll enjoy carrying it with you ;)

Now I can close my wallet without hassle!!!

Yeah, I love those cards with punch holes. I attach them to my key chain without question!

How Do You Organize Your Reward and Club Cards?

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Inevitable Accident

Last Saturday, while my darling and I was at the bridal salon, we heard a thunderous sound outside. We were just about to leave the salon, so we felt a regret that it was raining outside...

But later, we found that the sound was caused by a huge car accident!!!

The old man (aged 74) hit 2 people and crashed his van into a liquor shop on the 1st floor of a multiple-tenant building... According to the metropolitan police department, 26-year man broke his head and wounded seriously. 33-year woman was slightly injured. People who saw the accident said that the man was caught between the car and the building, the lady was lying close, and was very scary. The old man said he steered in the wrong direction...

If my darling and I were walking there few minutes earlier... We can't do much about the luck. I hope nothing bad happens. Peace!!!

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Bouquet and Boutonia

The flower is a messenger of the heart.

Since early times men send women flowers to show their courtship. This is why groom sends a bouquet to bride. Then the bride picks one flower out from bunch and puts it through the buttonhole of groom's collar to answer "yes". This is the origin of boutonia. How romantic :)


What flower symbolizes your love?!

For our wedding in NY, we chose white rose, which means innocence.

Red Rose: Love
Yellow Rose: Friendship
Light Pink Rose: Gladness
Dark Pink Rose: Thankfulness
White Rose: Innocence
Tulip: Perfect Lover
Lily: Purity
White Carnation: Ardent Love
White Jasmine: Amiability
Lily of the Valley: Return of Happiness
Sunflower: Adoration
Pink Gerbera Daisy: Beauty
etc...

Tonight, my darling and I are going to try and select the perfect dishes for our wedding party! We hope all our guests enjoy :D

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Risotto Parmigiano @ Mia Angela

Yummy!!!
I think this was the most delicious Risotto Parmigiano I've ever eaten :D

We've been to the neighborhood Italian restaurant called "Mia Angela" again to try out their new summer dishes. I have posted about the restaurant for many times, so I hope you all remember. The restaurant uses farm fresh ingredients from Hokkaido and cook them in the Italian way. Their seasonal menus are super delicious!!!

This month, they started Risotto Parmigiano which is cooked at table on a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano. We ordered it without a question and was BINGO!!! Some small pieces of Parmigiano were mixed partly and that was extremely tasty with slight saltiness. Their house wine (affordable lol) "Rione dei Dogi Rosso Molise Riserva" nicely matched the dish!!!

They said it will be their staple menu from the next month! Yay!!! We will definitely order it again!!!

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Our Wedding Invitation Card

I believe now everyone has received our invitations.

We chose this elegant butterfly card out from many because my darling and I hit it off with each other in seconds. To seal the envelope, we looked for this apple sticker separately, because it relates to our wedding, which is a secret till the day. he-he ;P

Thanks for those who e-mailed me when received!
We will do our best!!!

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My Accomplishments

Time flies. Now it's already time to list my accomplishments in July.

On 7/7, my Natto Curry Fried Rice was published in a food magazine called Lettuce Club (7/25 issue). It was introduced on P.112. It's a small article, but I am happy that mine was selected :D


On 7/8, my Sesame Fried Fukujinzuke Pork Rolls won the award for excellence at Shin-Shin corporation's fukujinzuke recipe contest. They asked for Mother's Day recipe using fukujinzuke. Fukujinzuke (福神漬) is one of the most popular kinds of pickles in Japanese cuisine, commonly used as a relish for Japanese curry and rice.

On 7/15, my Gochujang Miso Mayonnaise Minced Meat Rice Bowl won the 2nd award at beef and pork mince recipe contest. Spicy but mild taste makes you want to eat rice ;)


On 7/27, my Chive Gyoza won the award for excellence at Asahibeer's contest. This is my mom's recipe. Chive has a hint of onion flavor. It smells a little like garlic but you can gain strength from it ;) Yummy!!!

Last but not least, I submitted my darling's picture to Sapporo Beer Black Label photo contest. Can you find him here?! He-he ;)

Have a good weekend!!!

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