Spryte Snaps

5-30-2011

2011-05-30T19:41:00.004+09:00

After re-evaluating my goals with this blog, I've opted to make these posts whenever I have something worthwhile to share, not necessarily every day. This should bring up the overall quality of the photos here. I hope you enjoy!

Today I decided to make something for myself. The odd thing is, once the truffles were done, I didn't like the richness of the chocolate. Oh well, white chocolate next time. This jacket with the wings is also one of my favorite jackets.

5-16-2011

2011-05-16T21:17:00.003+09:00

My cooking school has seasonal bread and cake classes you can take (no cake in spring or summer this year, owing to heat), and this is the final of the three spring bread classes I decided to take. It's like a cinnamon roll made with Earl Grey Tea instead of cinnamon. Interesting, to say the least. They're quite delicious, although I suspect they will get dry pretty quickly. That just means I'll have to eat them quickly or give them away!

5-15-2011

2011-05-15T19:55:00.000+09:00

Okay, this is the last photo of these bushes this season, I promise. It's just that they're EVERYWHERE and rather photogenic. Okay, okay, say goodbye to the mystery bush. I'll try not to photograph them anymore.

5-14-2011

2011-05-14T20:47:00.009+09:00

After discovering that I have way too much peanut butter in my pantry, I got an intense craving for something infused with peanut butter. Honestly, I never thought I'd say too much peanut butter, but there it is. Anyway, adding a quarter cup of peanut butter to your favorite biscuit recipe (add a little more milk/soy milk to keep the right consistency or you'll end up with bricks) and you've got some lovely peanut butter treats. Try them with jelly to have PB&J biscuits at breakfast.

Note: If *anyone* if your family has a peanut allergy, children under 3 shouldn't have peanuts or peanut products. Otherwise, kids can have peanut butter from 1, although I'd still recommend waiting until 3 years just in case.

5-13-2011

2011-05-13T22:39:00.002+09:00

After my successful tuna nigiri experiment, I thought I'd try my hand at some more varied sashimi. The main reason was the quality of my sushi rice, which I still haven't got quite right, but there was also a nice pack of fish at the shop. Sometimes I can't resist.

5-12-2011

2011-05-12T21:29:00.002+09:00

Happy one-year anniversary to this blog! I now have over a year of photos for you to ignore. But if you'd like, please have a look through them. :o)

My Persian roots show through sometimes, and this may be one of those times. Here are some large figs from a random fruit stand baked with crumbled feta. No salt, no other seasonings necessary. Although it might be a good idea to drizzle a little honey on top to counter the brine in the feta and the tartness of the figs.

I'm rather amused by the end result, though, because it looks like a carnivorous flower to me. Still, it was quite tasty.

Recipe (per serving):

1 large, round fig preferably not a black fig, although any will do
2-3 tbsp cubed feta
1 tsp honey (optional)

Wash the figs and pat dry. Stand them upright in a baking pan and cut an X in the top, about halfway down each fig. Open the tops slightly.

Press the cubed feta into the figs, spreading the fruit to make room. Crumble some of the feta to cover the flesh of the fruit.

Bake at 375 (180) for about 10 minutes, or until the feta is melting. Heavily brined feta may not melt or brown well, so keep an eye on the figs as well.

If desired, drizzle some honey over the top of the feta before serving.

5-11-2011

2011-05-11T18:19:00.014+09:00

Today I tried to think up ways to use up some things in my fridge. Incidentally, I decided to try to make a shake out of the yuba, but it needed some flavoring. Enter fresh strawberries. Mix with a little honey and voila, smoothie.

Although I wish I kept ice in my freezer to make things a little less dense. It wasn't until recently I began appreciating the use of ice in smoothies. Before I only had poorly-made restaurant smoothies with large chunks of ice. Anyway, I know better now.

Recipe (1 smoothie):

1 small block soft tofu or yuba (tofu skin)
1/4 c soy milk
4-5 strawberries, rinsed then husked
1 tbsp your favorite honey
ice as desired

Toss the yuba and soy milk in the blender, blending until creamy. If it's not thin enough add more soy milk to desired consistency.

Add the strawberries and honey and blend again.

Add ice until desired thickness.

The more ice and soy milk you add, the more this recipe will yield. If you like lots of ice, be sure to have a friend to share with.

5-10-2011

2011-05-10T23:42:00.007+09:00

Today I found an interesting fruit stand in Machida. They sell discounted fruit that are ripe NOW. Not overripe or anything, but you don't want to leave them sitting around. I managed to get four huge mangoes for ￥1000, which I found very exciting.

Almost as exciting was cutting them like Moo Cow taught me to last year.

5-9-2011

2011-05-09T22:02:00.006+09:00

Even though it's May, cherry blossoms are still on everyone's minds. Today in cooking class we made cherry blossom cream to go in this bread. Once I leave Japan I will be on an eternal hunt for the liqueur in the US and Canada...

5-8-2011

2011-05-08T23:59:00.011+09:00

My stepmom used to keep two types of purple clematis in the front flower box in Michigan. She kept trellises for them to climb. They never filled out the trellises but I still remember the flower. Apparently there are over 300 varieties. And from the many clematis I've seen in Japan, they're all over the world too.

5-7-2011

2011-05-07T20:44:00.011+09:00

This flower caught my attention from across a parking lot while waiting for my bus. It never ceases to amaze me how bright the coloring of flowers is in Japan. I wonder if it's the volcanic soil...?

5-6-2011

2011-05-06T21:07:00.000+09:00

While I'm not particularly partial to these flowers, it's nice how the bushes are completely covered in blossoms for almost an entire month. The varieties range from pinks, purples and reds to pure white and everything in between. They're a nice background for spring, although I don't know if I would consider planting them in my yard, since they're so common here.

5-5-2011

2011-05-05T23:30:00.000+09:00

Carp streamers are typical decorations seen leading up to Boys' Day (more recently called Children's Day). When the wind blows it looks like the carp are swimming upriver, which is a sign of a strong fish. Families should get a carp streamer for each boy (now, child) to hope for children to grow up strong. Many families buy new streamers every year. This is partly because new things are seen as better in Japan and partly because nobody has space to store things with such small living spaces.

Of course, like many Japanese cultural points, the celebration is rooted in Chinese culture, but the commercial aspect is purely Japanese.

5-4-2011

2011-05-04T19:19:00.000+09:00

The Japanese love playing on words. The area of Tokyo I live in is called Ikebukuro. There is a distinct owl theme to the area, mainly because owl in Japanese is fukurou. Of course, they couldn't pass up the chance to have "IkeFukurou" everywhere. I guess it's okay; it makes shopping for my owl-loving family easier.

5-3-2011

2011-05-03T19:13:00.006+09:00

My friend and I went for Dim Sum. Technically called Yumcha when eaten with tea, it is popular in Hong Kong to eat Dim Sum for breakfast. We found an all-you-can-eat place in Ikebukuro and ate for three or four hours. Of course, they messed up the order, which is why we were able to stay so long. It was decent, although not the best and I'm not sure I'd go again. True to the Chinese reputation in Ikebukuro, we found a dead fly in one of our glasses.

But these little mouse dumplings were adorable. The warm custard inside wasn't bad either.

5-2-2011

2011-05-02T21:08:00.008+09:00

Irises are one of my favorite flowers. The sheer number of varieties is spectacular.

5-1-2011

2011-05-01T20:11:00.000+09:00

It's no secret I love to cook. Food in Japan is amazing but once in a while I want a taste of home. This pasta bake was an experiment in using food steamers instead of the stove. As a resounding success, this may be helpful in the hot months of summer...

4-30-2011

2011-04-30T22:38:00.005+09:00

There are few things as satisfying as making something yourself, particularly when it's useful and/or edible. While I only cut and assembled this meal, it felt like quite an accomplishment.

Markets in Japan sell sushi-grade fish all over the place. Around the time I finish work, the market on my way to the station has deep discounts in the fish department, so I sometimes pick up something for dinner. Today was a lucky buy, but I think I need a sharper knife. Still, tuna nigiri sushi is always welcome.

4-29-2011

2011-04-29T18:59:00.007+09:00

There isn't a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan that doesn't have a statue of the Colonel to scare everyone. It seems he has become synonymous with KFC in Japan and it would be tragic not to have him out front.

Upon occasion, you may spot him dressed up, for Halloween or some such occasion. I'm not sure what the reason was for this cardboard samurai, but here he is...

4-28-2011

2011-04-28T23:47:00.012+09:00

While the Japanese learn flower names from the time they are young, I don't have that in my favor. As such, I have no idea what these are, but they're everywhere in Tokyo right now. They are mostly pink, red, purple and white, but there are a few other colors too. It's interesting to see whole bushes looking like bridal bouquets, which is what Tokyo spring feels like.

4-27-2011

2011-04-27T20:07:00.016+09:00

Once in a while I find a good deal on something slightly out of the ordinary. This bento ended up being my dinner. The front is chopped grilled eel (unagi) on rice. This is nothing unusual, really. But the inari sushi at the back of the bento have shredded crab in them. I've never seen inari made with anything but plain rice or sometimes 5-flavor rice, and that's what convinced me to buy this at a discounted ￥500.

4-26-2011

2011-04-26T23:24:00.005+09:00

In a change of pace, I have made something moderately healthy in cooking class. Too bad they're my least favorite-tasting recipe so far.

4-25-2011

2011-04-25T18:56:00.009+09:00

At the kindergarten I teach at this year, they have some really nice decorations. This is for Children's Day, although really the holiday is Boys' Day (Girls' Day is Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival).

4-24-2011

2011-04-24T22:12:00.006+09:00

Since the earthquake Tepco is perhaps the least favorite company in Japan. They are the company in charge of the Fukushima Daiichi (and Daini) nuclear power plant.

4-23-2011

2011-04-23T19:22:00.006+09:00

There is always something blooming in Japan. It's kind of amazing. At the same time, the vibrancy of the blossoms is also something fascinating. I wonder if it's related to the soil or something else.