Does anyone make osechi ryouri anymore?

Thanks to comode for a wonderful box of osechi

There is such a great selection of foods in the Japanese department stores these days I wonder if people make osechi ryouri still for new year?

Have you got a favourite osechi food?
I like the sweet kuri!!

Osechi ryouri was typically a way that food could be organised for a few days over new year when stores were closed.The foods were made up in advance and they sat in a cool place for a few days without spoiling. Most of the food was placed in beautiful boxes usually with many compartments.

Osechi ryouri takes a lot of organising and often skill to make …… so many people will instead buy things prepacked and made at supermarkets or department stores….

Thinking about it is making my mouth water already.
But I had better think about my purse strings too. It is easy to get carried away particularly if you shop at a high priced department store.

So much variety from kimubert - thanks

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Last night we had curry again for dinner. Mum makes the curry and she does a great job. She always puts in lots of sweet potato and serves it with a side dish of avocado salad. Very nice!!
But how cool if next time we served curry we had these plates … so cool. Rice on one side …. hot curry on the other….!

Hot Curry?

Speaking of curry – I found this classic Vermont curry clip on youtube … wow this guy dancing is flexible – look at how high and with such ease his leg flips up and over !!!

Are you a curry fan?

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Talking cakes!!! Sounds like a great post for today after reading about JAL’s cheesecake launch for Aussie/Japan travellers yesterday. Have you got a favourite cake in Japan? Mine is the strawberry shortcake.

My favourite cakes

Looks like other people prefer the chocolate variety! This one is a great choice, favourite cake in Japan by aloalosabine on flickr.

This is aloalosabine choice on flickr

Looks delicious!!

But if you don’t like strawberry shortcake or chocolate cakes …maybe you could go for some frogs!

Cute box of frogs for dessert

For a box of frogs go to Mihoko Ozaki .

Or if you are a Pokemon fan – try these cakes … talking cakes … what is your favourite?

So cute - do you know who this is?

Great place to put the candles!!

I wonder whether I can order Pokemon with strawberries and cream?
Very tempting!!

Yumm yumm!

(what …. no matcha keeki ? until next time … stay tuned)

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Natto doesn’t have the most popular smell in the world!! but I wonder how many people know of the health benefits that natto is purported to have? Perhaps, the smell of natto can be forgotten if you think about the following 10 suggestions promoting natto as a health food ……?

Natto

Natto is one of my favourite foods!

1. Did you know that natto’s distinctive smell comes from the compound pyrazine which reduces the likelihood of blood clotting?

Natto

2. And a 2009 study in Taiwan suggested that natto could provide treatment for amyloid-type diseases such as Alzheimer’s!

Lunch

3. Another really interesting point about nattō is that it contains large amounts of vitamin K. Great for helping to prevent osteoporosis.

4. Natto also helps suppresses excessive immune reactions, due to the large quantity of polyamine.

5. Nattō contains many chemicals alleged to prevent cancer, for example natto has daidzein, genistein, isoflavone, phytoestrogen, and the chemical element selenium.

Perfect for mixing sticky natto

5. It is suggested that nattō may have a cholesterol-lowering effect.

6. Nattō is also said to have an antibiotic effect

In 2007 there was a ‘run’ on natto when these health benefits were ‘leaked’ on Japanese television !!!

Apologies because the shop has run out of natto

7. Nattō is claimed to prevent obesity

A natto felt bean!

8. It is claimed that natto helps improve digestion – although the felt variety probably won’t do the job!!

9. Natto reduces the effects of aging – good to hear!!!

10. It helps in hair loss in men due to its phytoestrogen content – spread the word?

Nattō is also sometimes used as an ingredient of pet food, and it is claimed that this improves the health of the pets. Interesting stuff!

Have you tried a natto memo pad!!!

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Ever got bored with the run of the mill green grocer’s fruit selection?

I was delighted to see that there are a group of ‘shaped fruit’ fans out there!
Looking out for the shapely fruit is a lot of fun!
Supposedly, the square shape makes the melons easier to stack and store. Of course the shaped watermelon come at a higher price. They are more than double the price of normal ones.

Squared Fruit

Not content with squared watermelon, you could always try the fruit that comes in triangles.

A triangular melon

These shaped watermelons are famous in the Zentsuji region in Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan. The farmers in this region found a way to grow cubic watermelons by growing the fruit in glass boxes and letting them naturally assume the shape of the receptacle.

This would be nice for valentines day!

I wonder what the shaped watermelons taste like?
Do cubic watermelons have seeds?
For the higher price you would expect that they were seedless!

Did you know that watermelon rind is edible?

I didn’t but I am not sure I would eat it whatever shape if came in….. what about you?
Would you eat the rind of watermelon?

Ah – you have to smile at the crazy ways that fruit can be changed!

Just smile

Have you ever tasted a shaped watermelon?

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Tsukimi Udon!

Tsukimi udon make a great lunch. Tsukimi means moon viewing in Japanese. It is said that the egg resembles the full moon in this dish. You can also order full moon soba if you prefer!

The tsukimi noddles are not necessarily a food reserved for moon viewing. But the association of the egg and the full moon has meant that the name has ‘stuck’.

During autumn, however, McDonald’s (in Japan) has picked up on the association of the moon viewing season and sells tsukimi burgers – these are hamburgers with fried egg fillings.

I love the way that nature filters through in such a positive way to Japanese food concepts.

Moon Viewing Burger

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Do you like tako yaki? They are a Japanese dumpling with baby octopus inside and mayo and fish shavings on top.

They were first made popular in the Taisho era ( around 1912-1926) in Osaka and since then have become a very popular side dish or take away food in Japan.

Making Tako Yaki

For those devotees of the Tako Yaki, takoyaki pans can be purchased to make octopus dumplings at home.

Make your own!

And for those who prefer the shop made ones….. take a look at the ones that we sampled.

Turning the Octopus Balls

Looking for tako yaki near you – this sign might help!!

Look for the signs !

And for those that would prefer not to sample the tako yaki food, you can always try out the tako yaki usb drive! Nice photo Evil Erich!!

Tako Yaki USB drive? Nice capture!!

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Ever stuck for inspiration on lunch boxes? I seem to never get the lunch box right!
So I decided to ‘get smart’ and do some research!

The lunch box or obento is somthing that is traditionally divided up into two parts – half the box with rice and half the box with veggies, fish or a little meat. And the obento box and its variety of foods, over hundreds of years, has become an integral part of Japanese culture.

Doing my research online …. I came up with these favourites – thank you for sharing them with me! Do you have a favourite?

Very cute! and so much variety in the box

Hello Kitty in the corner is cute!

Hello Kitty is one of my favourites

This one is amazing!

What an artist!

This is the one I want to eat most of all!!

Cute lion face !!

This is the one I am going to try tomorrow!!

I love this!

Ah, there is a lot of talent in bento making out there!

Look at the attention to detail here

Good Anime Characters in Lunch Box

Lunchtime has become an appealing meal again! Click through on photos to see more on bento’s from each photographer on flickr.

Check out these bread ears!

Innovative with bread!

Good Dorayaki Shapes!

Do your kids eat the greens too I wonder?

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Have you ever wondered what type of foods you might order if you were planning a wedding at Tokyo Disney?

Gondola of gorgeous berries

These foods were suggested by one of the hotels and look absolutely wonderful!

I wish I could book a wedding just for the culinary experience!

Nice looking beef burger with Mickey Potato Croquette(?) I think

Beef burger

Ariel’s Treasure Chest of berries!

Ariel's Chest

Wedding food at Tokyo Disney looks wonderful!

Happy Disney Wedding

Of course, a highlight would be cutting the cake with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Have you been to a Disney wedding?

Food, Glorious Food! Hope I don’t offend Sebastian, but the crab risotto looks great!!

Crab risotto ... yum!

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Play-Doh had its 50th anniversary in 2005 and has been a huge hit over the decades with kids. In Japan, the Play-Doh is called nendo. It has also been a great success.
However, it is always wonderful to see how imported goods, ideas and concept to Japan can be well-adapted to meet the market.

Holiday Fun with Nendo

Check out the shape cutters. You can make ebi and tuna nigiri!

This ‘Silver Week’ nendo fun has produced some great nendo lunch boxes!

Nendo Ben

It seems that there is no end to the creative ways that sushi can be served! First, the post on felt and knitted sushi, iced sushi and then crochet sushi. Now Play-Doh sushi!

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