bummer

I could've sworn that Tougarashiya had a kim chee sushi on their menu.

The other day, I tried their sushi (300 yen about US$3), but there was no kim chee in it. I wonder if I ordered the wrong thing...

This was actually the 3rd time I tried to buy this...the first 2 times, the rice was still cooking...

Anyway, it wasn't bad, but I guess I'll have to go back to see if they really have a kim chee version or if I read wrong.

la maison du chocolat

It is February, which means that there are many temptations out there...namely chocolates (and macaron).

I picked up these macaron by La Maison du Chocolat after French class on Tuesday....1572 yen (about US$15.72) for 6.

Salvador (pink)--a dark chocolate ganache flavored with raspberry.

Romeo (light brown)--a milk chocolate ganache flavored with Kenyan Arabica coffee.

Rigoletto (yellowish brown)--a salted caramel and milk chocolate ganache. This one was my favorite because it actually had gooey caramel in it.

Quito (dark brown)--dark chocolate ganache.

Guayaquil (white)--a vanilla shell filled with vanilla flavored dark chocolate ganache.

These macaron were more moist than what I've tried in the past, almost gooey. I think I would have preferred something a bit drier, but I liked that the chocolate ratio that they used in the filling was more than the cream, so it was like a piece of chocolate was in there.

One suggestion would be that they have these "macaron maps" for next year. I asked the counter staff and she let me take a photo of it (actually a no-no in department stores). And I was happy that I was able to find more info on their website.

Have a good weekend!

soup weather

And here I thought that Spring was coming...not!

The other day the weather here took a 180 degree turn and went back towards winter.

In Tokyo, they even had snow! (those guys are so lucky, though they may not think so...)

It has been rainy, blustery and actually quite dreary weather.

Satoshi has been working late. Since he comes home at midnight or later, feeding him dinner can be a challenge.

I want to feed him well, but at that time of night, he really shouldn't be eating so much.

So, I usually end up giving him a bowl of soup or having him drink a glass of milk (if it is really late!) then feed him for breakfast what I would've fed him for dinner.

Here are two types of soups we've been having.

A miso soup with potato, onion & kabocha. My MIL made a miso soup for us once with just potato and onion in it. I cooked the veggies for about 10 minutes then added the miso.

Usually when you make miso soup, you need to make dashi (stock) first. I cheat and use a miso that already has dashi (stock) in it.

And since I had some kim chee in my refrige that needed using, I made a kim chee chige with kabocha, eringi mushrooms, carrots and gobo (burdock). Again, I cooked the veggies for about 10 minutes and then added the kim chee & miso.

Both were perfect for these chilly nights.

p.s. Thank you for all the wonderful comments the other day, the winner for the giveaway per random number generator is Jalna, who has a great photo blog, by the way.

Please email me your address so that I can try to get the box of "stuff" out to you a.s.a.p. Hope you aren't allergic to anything I've put in there. Thanks for participating everyone!

UPDATE to see what was inside the box, click here.

setsubun

Today is Setsubun. If you will be eating your ehomaki (the uncut sushi for good luck), the direction to face this year is sei-nan-sei (west south west).

Since Satoshi is in Tokyo for business, I didn't make or buy ehomaki for us.

I did try some kotoman, they had two new flavors especially for Setsubun, kinako (soy bean powder) & kuromame (black bean).

I loved the black bean, but the kinako was a bit too much for me, no other flavor than the soy bean powder mixed with the white bean paste.

I would have loved something else inside like beans or chestnuts and just a little kinako rather than the whole inside being kinako flavored bean paste.

Oh well, Happy Wednesday!

lunch

I've been on a rice kick of late.

I picked up this chicken bento (boxed lunch). It came with kari-kari ume(crunchy pickled apricot) rice, some simmered veggies and a teeny scoop of potato salad.

480 yen (about US$4.80) from the sozaiya (pre-made foods shop) in our shopping arcade.

Another day, it was rainy so I didn't leave my house...lunch was leftover spinach and shiitake sauteed with a little butter and tonkatsu (pork cutlet) sauce.

Some tamagoyaki (rolled omlette), tsukemono (pickles), rice & some wakame (kelp) miso soup.

What have you been eating for lunch?

thank you! giveaway

I am posting again today because I was so excited to see that 400 people are following our adventures. Amazing and thank you!

While I would want to send out something to each of you, unfortunately I can only send something to one.

To qualify, you must have a blog and write something in the comments as to why you like our blog.

If you win, please link back and post about what you receive.

You have until 20:10 (8:10) on February 3rd (Japan time).

I'll post the winner on the 4th...good luck and thank you!

Thanks for participating...comments now closed.

wolf moon

Were you able to check out the Wolf Moon?

I'm glad I was able to see it, it was fabulous!

When if first rose, there was this yellowish coloring to it.

Would've been perfect during Halloween, no?!

Then later in the evening it was bright and white.

Sorry my photos are blurry.

Have a good week!