thank you

My aunties sent us a care package filled with all sort of goodies like prune mui, lemon curd, chocolates and cookies!

love it when they line the box with local newspaper, so I can read up on things...

I shared some of the cookies with my dentist's staff

Thank you Aunties, we appreciate your kindness and for thinking of us.

care package

We were happy to receive this care package from MIL...our yearly stash of ikanago no kugini (which literally means simmered nails).

Ikanago (Japanese sand lance) is simmered in shoyu (soy sauce), ginger, sugar, mirin (sweet rice wine), sake (rice wine) & mizuame (starch syrup, like corn syrup) until it is caramelized.

This is a famous dish in Kobe and many families have their own recipes and variations of the dish.

This is usually seen in the stores during Spring.

I put 3 of the 4 containers into the freezer, and will slowly take it out for us to eat with rice during the year.

Thank you MIL!

thankful

Reader Kalin's Mommy sent us all these goodies from home.

We'll enjoy them after the move.

Thank you so much we appreciate your kindness!

thankful

Reader N was so kind...sending us a care package.

It arrived on a blustery and rainy day last week.

Thank you so much N! We appreciate your kindness.

merci beaucoup

I really appreciate the friendships made from this blog.

Though I've never met most of my virtual friends face to face.

They know how to brighten my day with a surprise.

Merci mon amie! xoxo

(care package contents: Jacques Genin Pates de Fruit, Les Jardins de Gaia Babouchka Gout Russe Tea, Schar Gluten Free Wafer Bar, Sesame Candy & Cookie, Kaoka Noisettes, Rapunzel Chocolate Chips, Pere Louis Chocolate Coconut Bar)

thank you!

Just want to shout out to my blog friend, Michelle and say "thank you" for brightening my day.

She had told me she was sending me something small, but with everything going on over the past couple of days, I had forgotten and was pleasantly surprised with all these goodies.

Lobster infused oil, which she says is great on pasta. Murray River Salt, Malteaster (milk chocolate bunnies filled with malt candy...yum!) & Choc Chip Chai by T2.

*I've already tried the malteaster and chai which is strong with clove & star anise..both are delicious.

All the items she put into the box are products of Australia.

This was indeed special and a nice change of pace.

Thank you!

sunshine arrives from the chestnut forest

According to Rowena of Rubbah Slippahs in Italy, she has no faith in the Italian postal service. If you read her blog (and you should), you'll know why.

Good postal service is something I take for granted here as the Japanese postal service and home delivery service (similar to UPS/DHL) is pretty high quality, I feel.

For example, if you aren't at home when they deliver something, they will leave you a slip to have it re-delivered and you can specify a date and time that you want them to deliver, like in the morning between 9:00-12:00 or in the afternoon 13:00-15:00 on the 5th. And if you catch them early enough, they will re-deliver that same day.

Anyway, Rowena was super kind in sending us these goodies.

The package was opened on arrival in Japan by customs, but it looked like everything was intact.

I love the friendships made from blogging and though we have never met face to face, Rowena, I know we will one day!

Thank you for brightening our day!

Satoshi and I really appreciate your kindness and can't wait to try all these goodies!

Grazie Mille!

ras el hanout

Way back in June, I received this huge box filled with condiments, candies and other foodie things from Bourgogne in France.

The candy and snacks are long gone, but I recently looked in the basket I keep food things in and saw a spice packet. It said "Ras el Hanout". I was trying to read what it said, but everything was in French. Well, thank goodness for the internet! I googled and came up with an explanation of what it was and how it was used.

Since it is mostly used for squab (a.k.a. pigeon) (and that isn't readily available here), I used it with chicken. I cooked some couscous in consomme with raisins and onions. Then seared the skin of the chicken in a frying pan. I then put the chicken in a baking dish with some eringi mushrooms and a ripe tomato. I drizzled everything with olive oil and sprinkled some of the ras el hanout onto the chicken. For the eringi and tomato, I just sprinkled some salt.

I baked everything for about 20 minutes. The spices baking with the chicken kind of reminded me of autumn with pumpkin pie--warm, cinnamony and a little sweet.

This chicken went nicely with the couscous. The skin was crispy and delicious. I think next time I'll try flavoring the couscous with the ras el hanout. Thank you again, Bourgogne for the huge foodie care package and for introducing me to this new spice.

We have another 3-day weekend (can you imagine 2 in one month?) Take care.