I thought Dean & Deluca only made muffins and quick breads, but they also make hard type of breads
and their 6 grain bread with leftover soup tonight.
Kat & Satoshi's eating and traveling adventures around Japan (and sometimes Hawaii)
I recently tried using some of our shine muscat in a “sheet pan” dinner
If you've been reading our blog, you know I don't really have an oven big enough for a sheet pan to fit, so I always roast/bake on the microwave's turntable/pizza stone thingy.
I first roasted the kabocha in the oven for about 15 minutes then for the last 15 minutes, I added chicken marinated with mayo and ras el hanout spice and the grapes
In a pan, I wilted kale and red onions and added lemon dressing before serving
This was delicious and a nice way to use some of the grapes...we still have more to eat, plus more in the freezer....
After scrubbing it and cutting it in half
I rubbed some olive oil on the parts that would touch the parchment paper and baked it in a 200C (400F) oven for 1 hour
This was delicious! sweet
instead of tasting like sweet potato though, this reminded me of those Chinese candied carrots
was reading about this variety, it is apparently grown in Ibusuki, Kagoshima and because they registered the name, it can only be called Marron Gold if it is grown in Ibusuki, Kagoshima, so this variety is apparently "rare" to come by.
I’m glad we tried this and will get it again if I see it at the market
It is similar to nagaimo and yamaimo, it has a higher starch content which makes it really nebaneba (sticky)
600 grams muscat grapes
100 grams sugar
1/2 of lemon juice
Rinse grapes, take off the stems and re-rinse
Cut in half and check for seeds
Add sugar
Add lemon juice
Mix everything and put into refrig overnight
Next day, put into a pot and bring to a boil
Skim off any scum
Cook about 5 minutes
Check the set
Put into jars and seal
NOTES: I ended up cooking this longer than the 5 minutes that the recipes said to.
Next time, I will either put the macerated grapes before cooking through a sieve, or the cooked grapes through a sieve so that I can get rid of the "skins"...probably the latter
I also think I should probably cut the grapes up smaller so that it will "break down" more, these kinda stayed "whole" and firm.
This isn't sweet and grape-y like the purple grape jam/jelly (because the variety is different) I know but this is still delicious.
p.s. I guess more than "jam" this was a compote (fruit sauce)...we tried this on oatmeal pancakes...my favorite way to eat pancakes these days are with greek yogurt, some kind of jam/compote, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seedsOn the way, I noticed that the shop that I used to get bun nem ran & thit nuong (fried spring roll and bbq pork) from, was not there anymore...boo!
And a wagashi shop that we discovered during the pandemic had also gone out of business (back in May)...their sign said that they had been in business for 55 years!
so sad to see the neighborhood change...
While in Benny, I needed some kind of fruit for breakfast...I bought a new (to me) variety of apple called Shinano Dolce which was grown in Nagano Prefecture.
The young lady working the cash register, rang this apple up wrong, so I brought it to her attention.
Since the people working the registers do everything by sight (old skool), no scanning, she was shocked that she had mistaken the variety of apple
After checking with the produce staff, she found out that she indeed had mistakenly charged me the wrong price.
So we got things all sorted out and some money was refunded...
This wasn't crisp like the Fuji apples we enjoy, but it was still delicious.
I'm glad we got to try this.
ps Typhoon 22 (Halong) is supposedly passing to the south of Japan today, hoping there won't be any damage
I bought another pair in May 2025...
Instead of throwing out my first pair, I bought Shoe Goo
I remember my dad used to fix his shoes with this and I'm glad Japan imports this.When I was in college, I kinda had a photographic memory.
Like whenever I took tests I could visualize my notes, and see where on the page I had written the info needed to answer the test question.
These days, I can kinda remember things I've seen, just have a hard time remembering where or when I saw it.
Like this photo.
I thought I had posted about it on the blog, and wracked my brain trying to look for it there, but it turned out that it was only on my Flickr.
Thank goodness that they haven't deleted any of my "excess" photos for their 1000 photo limit.
With City Bakery's chocolate banana pound cake, I tried toasting it and putting crunchy peanut butter on it, but this hardly had any banana flavor...boo!
Still glad I was able to find the photo I had seen in my memory so that I could finally go to sleep...
The FIL of the owner actually makes mamegashi which translates literally to bean treats
Not only are dried beans used but peas, nuts and peanuts too.
The original shop was called Shofukudo, a shop that was in business since 1933
Inari Eggplant seen on IG : suntory japan & tanoshoku megumi, serves 2
2 small eggplant, peeled then cut in half
2 aburaage, cut in half
hot water
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon powdered dashi
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon shoyu
After peeling eggplant, wrap in plastic wrap and nuke for 1 minute
With hot water pour over aburaage to take off some of the oil
Open the aburaage pocket and put in one half of the eggplant in
Put the filled aburaage in a shallow pan/pot
Add the powdered dashi, water and sugar
Bring up to a boil, turn down the heat to low, use drop lid, cook for 5 minutes
After 5 minutes, add mirin and shoyu
Cook for another 5 minutes
NOTES: The first time I tried this, the aburaage wouldn’t open up, so I couldn’t put the eggplant in (photo of 1st try)Also I think the person who created this recipe used way smaller sized eggplant (or had larger aburaage) because half could not fit in one pocket
(The eggplant that I bought was small about 4 inches long)
Instead of powdered dashi and water, I just used 1 cup of cold brew dashi*
*(put 1 dashi packet (tea bag like thingy) into 4 cups of water and "cold brew" overnight in fridge)
I had not noticed using a drop lid when I scribbled this down, but used it the second time
Both times, I ended up cooking this longer because the eggplant was still firm, even after heating in the microwave
Taste wise it is like the aburaage in kitsune udon or inarizushi
Even though this didn’t come out exactly as the video on IG, I like the idea and would make this again.
While he does his checking, I usually hang out somewhere
One thing I did while I was waiting for him was watch the Shinkansen pass by....short video here.
After he checked what he needed to, we headed to Akasaka.Have had Caraway on my "to try list" for some time now
They have been in business since 1974 and serve different curries and hashed beef (hayashi rice) if curry isn't your thing.
The lines are always krazy long but we went at about 16:00-ish and only had to wait about 20 minutes or so for a table.
Their most well known item is the Gongoro Chikaramochi
Oblong shaped mochi is topped with oblong sweet bean paste
I read something online that if you purchase this, it needs to be eaten that day.
Unfortunately they do not sell this version individually or in small amounts.
We instead tried their Gyuhi Chikaramochi...120 yen eachThis version has gyuhi (soft mochi) wrapped with sweet bean paste
This is bite sized and perfect for trying.
I'm glad we tried this and would get this version again.
Several things in this area of Kamakura that I had been wanting to see...
Gokurakuji station...which has been used in many J-dramasIn his family's garage, this grandpa works out of a teeny truck and makes delicious cups of coffee
Choose your coffee
Choose hot or iced
Prepare to waitIt was nice to sit and talk story with him while he made our cups of coffee
He is super knowledgable about coffee
Satoshi had their Costa Rica served hot...500 yen (tax included)
Kat chose his iced Kenya…600 yen (tax included) so smooth!Will come back next time I am here
Idobata
2-14-13 Hase
Kamakura, Kanagawa
Closed Thursdays
Hours: 9:00-17:00
*cash only
I don’t remember paying admission (pre-pandemic) to see the Great Buddha (maybe I forgot) but apparently now they charge admission
I waited outside while Satoshi checked out the things he needed toWe then went down to Hasedera, again I waited outside while he went to check out the things he needed toLunch was at Shamoji which I had bookmarkedIt is a small restaurant serving teishoku (set) style meals
Satoshi chose the 3 local fish sashimi teishoku 2100 yen (tax included)He said he enjoyed this
Kat chose the fried aji teishoku 1500 yen (tax included)loved the citrus dressing on the salad under the fish
and the hijiki was delicious too
I’m glad we got to try this place and would come back again
Shamoji
1-15-2 Hase
Kamakura, Kanagawa
Closed Tuesdays
Hours: 11:30-15:00 (lunch), 17:00-21:00 (dinner)