shiranui

Tried a new (to us) orange called Shiranui.

These were grown in Wakayama and look like the sumos or dekpon as they are called here in Japan.

When I picked them up at the supermarket, I was kind of leery as they didn't look to good, but they are super easy to peel and super sweet.

I'm glad we tried these and would pick up more the next time I see them.

cuties

I recently came across these teeny oranges called "cuties" imported from the US.

Apparently there are two varieties, Murcott & Clementines.

This one is Murcott.

They are easy to peel and quite sweet too.

Plus, I like their name.

Have a nice weekend.

ya kun kaya toast & blood oranges

I recently received a bottle of Ya Kun Kaya Toast spread from T. It was our first time trying kaya toast.

It has a slight nutty flavor and isn't overly sweet.

Apparently you should eat it with some butter between two slices of bread...we'll try it this way soon.

Another thing we tried were blood oranges that were grown in Ehime...bummer that these weren't reddish, but they were firmer than the oranges we are used to and they were super sweet!

Thanks T for the kaya toast spread!

new recipes

Saturday's dinner was a trial of two new recipes from "Orange Page's Fuyu ni Oishii kondate"

The first was chicken with a kinoko (mushroom) cream sauce.

Serves: 2

2 thigh pieces of chicken (about 350 grams total)
1 package shimeji, cleaned and separated
1 eringi, sliced thinly
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup skim milk
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
salt
pepper
olive oil

Heat oil in pan and cook chicken, skin side down about 5 minutes
Flip and cook another 5 minutes
Remove from pan
Add onion and mushrooms to the pan and saute in the drippings
When almost cooked through, add the mustard and coat everything well
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the milk at the end, cook until just heated through.
Serve with your favorite roll or bread.

NOTES: This was easy and delicious. The original recipe called for cream, but I lightened it up by using skim milk. I think this mushroom cream sauce could be used on other things like fish.

Another dish I made was a lettuce and orange salad.

This recipe came from the same book.

Serves: 2

5 leaves red leaf lettuce, cleaned
1 orange

*dressing
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
grinds of pepper

Julienne the lettuce
Using a paring knife separate the orange from the pith
Combine the ingredients for the dressing and whisk
Pour over the salad and toss.

NOTES: this was refreshing. The hardest part was separating the orange from the pith. I threw everything into a ziploc container and shook it to toss.

Even though I used grainy mustard in both dishes, each had different flavors. I made the salad a couple of hours before dinner so that the dressing could soak in. The chicken was pretty easy to put together too.

Satoshi, who doesn't care much for chicken, enjoyed this dish especially the sauce.

white day

It's nearly the middle of March and we have gone back in time. The weatherforecasters are saying that the temperatures are that of mid-winter...um, well, the snow flurries that we had for most of yesterday would do it, don't you think?

One thing I forgot to mention about Okinawa is that they are known to have the longest life expectancy. This is due to their diet which consists of lots of veggies, fish, pork and their lifestyle.

About 3 years ago, when Satoshi was helping me search for my roots, I read "the Okinawan Program". Although this book is very thick, it was filled with lots of interesting facts and information about the Okinawan culture. Being able to connect with relatives in Okinawa was a dream come true! There were cousins as old as my father and many stories were told. Although there were some areas that are still mysteries, it was nice to be able to find family.

While living in Japan, Satoshi has not only helped me connect with my Okinawan relatives on my father's side, but with relatives on my mother's side. Her side of the family includes stories about immigrating to Hawaii, picture bride marriage, life during the war and a family tree that goes back to the Edo period. I've been able to write up our family trees from the info that family members have given me. And to be able to have a written record of things has been a good learning experience. If you have the chance to find out about your roots, especially from the elders in your family, I truly recommend either using a tape recorder or taking notes, because once these elders pass, there is no way to recover what they know or have experienced.

Changing the subject, today is White Day in Japan. This is the day when the GUYS give the girls something in return for Valentine's Day. Satoshi gave me my ticket to Hawaii and some Australian soaps. I usually go back to Hawaii once a year, usually for two or three months, usually during most of winter. This year is a bit different, I'll only be going home for a month. Although it won't be as long as the times I've gone home in the past, I'm still thankful to be able to go. (Thanks Satoshi!)

During the winter in Japan, the main local citrus fruit that you see is called mikan. I think it is a type of tangerine. The skin is very thin, there are no seeds and it is easy to peel. Recently, I've seen more citrus fruits being brought into the markets. One is the kiyomi orange which we had with breakfast. This orange grows in the Wakayama prefecture. The skin is very soft and there is hardly any membrane sacs, mostly all "orange" and really juicy! If you get a chance to try this one, it is really good!

crochet

My lesson cancelled today. So, I had some time on my hands.

This is what I did...I crocheted a pendant. It was an extra project that I had purchased from my teacher. It kind of reminds me of the opening of a decorated Easter egg, don't you think?

After finishing the pendant, I decided to go grocery shopping to buy some ingredients for dinner (making okonomiyaki), on the way home, I bought this for snack. The sign said orange roll. Thinking it was rolled sponge cake with orange jam and cream...I was wrong. It was a baked bread (like a sweet roll) with orange jam and rolled with cream! It was still good despite my disappointment!

Satoshi comes home tomorrow night (yeah!!) I wonder what kinds of "omiyage" (souvenirs) he's bringing home for me (although I did give him my "wish list"...) :p

Hope you're enjoying your weekend.