Saturday, January 17, 2015
Walnut Mochi
As far as I know, my parents' hometown is the only place in Japan that eats mochi dipped in walnut broth paste. I'm not even sure why we use walnuts since the town isn't well-known for it.. but in any case it's a salty sweet paste made by crushed walnuts, kelp-based broth, sugar, and salt. It takes manpower to make it but the end is a very creamy savory tasting paste. As a child I used to just steal spoonfuls of the paste. It brings back a lot of childhood memories and no doubt sentimental nostalgia for my parents. Yum!
New Years
Just to clarify Japan is the only country in Asia that does a full blown New Years celebration on Jan 1; all others celebrate lunar new year.
So while everyone is hung over and sleep deprived from NYE celebrations, we are up early celebrating away our new years. For the first time in a really long time, I put on my kimono as is tradition. Kimono must be the hardest traditional garb in the world to put on... I actually took lessons for a year and it still took me close to an hour to put it on, my skills have waned a bit.
In any case, we celebrate it northern Japanese style, so our mochis our square and we make our ozoni (new years rice cake soup) in clear broth. We also make kurumi mochi, mochis soaked in creamy walnut broth paste which is a regional special from my parents' hometown.
New years celebrations are based on purifying oneself so definitely alcohol is involved. Lots of drinking, lots of eating, lots of talking, lots of tv watching... basically it's a formula of laziness and getting fat but it's great.
Happy New Years everyone! May all of you have a splendid year for 2015!
So while everyone is hung over and sleep deprived from NYE celebrations, we are up early celebrating away our new years. For the first time in a really long time, I put on my kimono as is tradition. Kimono must be the hardest traditional garb in the world to put on... I actually took lessons for a year and it still took me close to an hour to put it on, my skills have waned a bit.
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| I made the bump in the obi a bit too big.. must practice more |
In any case, we celebrate it northern Japanese style, so our mochis our square and we make our ozoni (new years rice cake soup) in clear broth. We also make kurumi mochi, mochis soaked in creamy walnut broth paste which is a regional special from my parents' hometown.
New years celebrations are based on purifying oneself so definitely alcohol is involved. Lots of drinking, lots of eating, lots of talking, lots of tv watching... basically it's a formula of laziness and getting fat but it's great.
Happy New Years everyone! May all of you have a splendid year for 2015!
Year end traditions
A few more pictures from NYE and New Years.
It's been tradition for the past 8-9 years to spend NYE with high school friends so did our annual get together. Thanks Brandon for cooking.
Usually I go out with them to go a NYE party but since I was so tired from the traveling plus tickets were sold out, I spent it with family. My brother made his annual traditional Japanese new years soba and tempura in which he makes the broth from scratch. It's absolutely delicious.
That may have been why I never made it to count down...I fell asleep on my bed by 11pm. Major fail... 2015 is off to a great start!
It's been tradition for the past 8-9 years to spend NYE with high school friends so did our annual get together. Thanks Brandon for cooking.
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| Cheers! |
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| family photo :) |
Usually I go out with them to go a NYE party but since I was so tired from the traveling plus tickets were sold out, I spent it with family. My brother made his annual traditional Japanese new years soba and tempura in which he makes the broth from scratch. It's absolutely delicious.
That may have been why I never made it to count down...I fell asleep on my bed by 11pm. Major fail... 2015 is off to a great start!
Confessions of riding free flighs
Sorry for the delay in posts! I've been crazily studying for finals and writing up papers before the semester is offically over so I hope to update more in detail once we go into semester break at the end of the month. But just wanted to share with you some quick pictures while I was at home.
As many of you know my dad works for an airline company so I get essentially free flights on standby.. which sounds like a sweet deal but it is a nightmare planning around trips on standby.
First of all, airport security are suspicious as f (sorry for the language), because I'm not booked as an official traveler. During holiday season it is a nightmare because all the flights are full. And with all the weather changes, flight cancellations and delays do happen in which you are doomed.
This time it was not exception with some odd issues going on at SFO. Few flights from La Guardia to SFO were delayed so seating becomes changed and overbooked.
Many many skype conversation with dad (who can see the flight database) were involved on strategizing my flights. Depending on which flight you list yourself as standby, sometimes you can get a seat/other times you are denied so it's a huge risk.
All in all, I waited close to 9 hours at the airport before I was able to get a seat - and I was very lucky since I had to ran to the gate 20 min before it took off. The silver lining was that because all the flights were delayed, my suitcases got mixed up on the cargo which took another hour to find my luggage at SFO.
It took me 28 hours to get home door-to-door. But nothing can beat home.
The second we got back, I gave my dad his Christmas present - 2 bottles of Swiss wine to which he responded "let's drink this right now, I'm thirsty". So off goes the drinking family drinking session. In between food, drinks, and the catching up we stayed up until 4am chatting away the night. I was exhausted and tired but a good family bonding times. It's good to be back!
As many of you know my dad works for an airline company so I get essentially free flights on standby.. which sounds like a sweet deal but it is a nightmare planning around trips on standby.
First of all, airport security are suspicious as f (sorry for the language), because I'm not booked as an official traveler. During holiday season it is a nightmare because all the flights are full. And with all the weather changes, flight cancellations and delays do happen in which you are doomed.
This time it was not exception with some odd issues going on at SFO. Few flights from La Guardia to SFO were delayed so seating becomes changed and overbooked.
Many many skype conversation with dad (who can see the flight database) were involved on strategizing my flights. Depending on which flight you list yourself as standby, sometimes you can get a seat/other times you are denied so it's a huge risk.
All in all, I waited close to 9 hours at the airport before I was able to get a seat - and I was very lucky since I had to ran to the gate 20 min before it took off. The silver lining was that because all the flights were delayed, my suitcases got mixed up on the cargo which took another hour to find my luggage at SFO.
It took me 28 hours to get home door-to-door. But nothing can beat home.
The second we got back, I gave my dad his Christmas present - 2 bottles of Swiss wine to which he responded "let's drink this right now, I'm thirsty". So off goes the drinking family drinking session. In between food, drinks, and the catching up we stayed up until 4am chatting away the night. I was exhausted and tired but a good family bonding times. It's good to be back!
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| Ended opening up 2.5 bottles.. alcoholic family :D |
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| Mom's food...I missed this! |
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