All moussed up for the party

These past two weeks have seen me jumping from one birthday to the next, from one club to another bar, and ultimately have resulted in effectively turning my sleeping patterns upside-down and topsy-turvy. To say the least, I now sleep at 5.00am and wake up at 3.00pm and am only now started to stress over the fact that my Intercultural Communications paper is due in 24 hours time, and I've yet to start. It also doesn't help that I've only been to 1/4 of the classes as set out by the university. Thus, I am officially screwed.

But, this hasn't stopped me from all the parties and gorging myself with luscious foods and drink. One new years resolution definately will not happen this year, like every other year too though... oh well, one life to live and I've only got a limited time left here in the land that never sleeps and everywhere you turn there is a drunken salaryman sleeping at the station.

In addition to all this, I have had the delight of indulging in many a different cake and... particularly during my birthday, where it was spread out over a marathon 4 days and 5 different parties, I have consumed in all, about 7 different cakes. Most I have photographed, but one or two that I was unable to due to lack of self control.

I started with the tiramisu on the 24th, then the strawberry vanilla on the 25th, the darkest most chocolatey and rich, yet perfectly balanced french chocolate tart cake (the plate was embarassingly too clean by the time I was done with it), then another moussy vanilla sponge cake on the 27th, and yet another chocolate tart later on the 8th, and that was all in celebration of my 20th birthday. Last week, in celebration of Man's and Misaki's 22nd and 21'st consecutively, I had yet another chocolate ganache moussed up cake, and another creamier version on Man's.

This, my dear, is not the end, next week we will continue celebrations with Colin's 21st and will again share another cake with Misaki, and (*deep breath) another one for Mitsuo. Maybe the joyous holiday period gets people moving and shaking, and that is why there are so many December and January birthdays.

But, I'm not one to complain.

Walnut bread

My first attempt at making Walnut bread, recipe taken from NHK's 'Kyou no ryouri'(todays cooking).

It turned out OK, not bad, and a success to my fellow uni buddies and my host mother (who's opinion I'd respect).

Chewy and dense and a really nice earthy flavour, strange how it turned out more 'bread-like' than my previous attempts back in melbourne.

The recipe I followed was slightly different because I didn't have all the ingredients, but, generally as it isn't like desserts, you do not have to follow it completely I guess.




くるみパン　（Kurumi Pan)
makes one large loaf or two small loaves

Roasted Walnuts 50g
Multipurpose flour 200g
Rye flour 100g
Instant Yeast 4g
Brown sugar 2g
salt 6g
Plain Yoghurt 60g
water 160g(can vary depending on consistancy of dough)
butter 5g
Rye flour to dust

1. Mix flours together and halve, then add instant yeast and mix.
Then add salt, sugar, mix.
2. In another bowl mix yoghurt and a bit of the water together and add remaining flour.
mix all the ingredients together and knead well until smooth, mix in knobs of butter into the
dough for about 12-13 minutes continuously.
3. Form into a ball and place in a nice warm place (30degrees preferably) and let rise for about
30 minutes or until doubled in size.
4. After letting it rise punch down and re-knead for another couple of minutes, add flour if
necessary and let rise again.
5. After it rises again for the second time take it out and spread it out. flatten out and form a
circle, spread chopped walnuts on one half of the circle and fold over, then spread remaining
walnuts on the rest and fold over again, making it into the shape of a quarter circle.
6. shape into whatever shape you desire and let it double in size again, at the same time preheat
the oven at 150degrees.
7. Turn oven up to 220 and bake for 10 minutes, and then turn down to 200 degrees and bake
for another 15 minutes or until the base sounds hollow when tapped.

Serve with jams, or on its own, or even with butter!

Dragon fruits and dreams of mong kok

Well, I've finally visited Hong Kong-one of the many dream destinations I had wanted to visit whilst I'm young and...finally, I got back from the 5 night 4 day trip (during my university period unfortunately ehehhe). And it was GREAT.

Much more a bustling and modern city than I had ever imagined and to top it off, the food was absolutely spectacular. It reminded me how much I had missed GOOD real chinese food. Actually this might have been the only time where I've had real chinese food, other than my parent's cooking I guess.

The trip started off with dessert in the one and only Sai Kung dessertery (is that even a word?) with rice cakes dipped in palm sugar and sesame and durian cakes, then went through a ton 'gam sa' (golden sand) aka ferrero rocher(how do I spell that?), fish and suckling pig, pork chop buns from infamous Macau, fried oysters and haagen daaz from Stanley and finished off with some oatmeal with soy at the HK airport. It perhaps was more a feasting tour than anything else, but I am truly grateful to my friend Alien who took me in and drove me around in his brand spanking new BMW *drools*

well, and now for the upcoming x'mas cookies....

love,

cindy

Eating Culture

People often talk about understanding culture through its food, but what happens when the culture is so mixed and mashed that the there is no specific type of 'food' in this culture?

Of course, this is almost impossible as most countries have at least several hundred years worth of history, but...what about Australia? There is no such thing as 'Australian' food, unless your referring to 'throwing a snag on the barbie, grill some shrimp and pass me a VB luvy'. Sausages aren't native to Australia though. Every second restaurant varies from having a European influenced ratatouille, asian inspired rice paper wraps to 'Fusion' Food. Perhaps THIS is Australian food? taking the best from what our immigrants have to offer and naming it as our own? Modern food is Australian food?

Strange when we talk about culture through food, because culture, in collective sense comes from what is given to us from our surroundings and our ancestors, families, friends etc, but funny how despite all this, the youth of today embrace different types of food so quickly and easily that it becomes a part of their culture. I guess several decades ago, 'Australian' food might have been a slightly tangy-er version of our English-European counterpart.

All this thinking is doing my brain in and making my stomach growl. But late-night snacking isn't too good for ones body (good for procrastinating nonetheless)

In search of 'Japanese Food'

For those out there who think may think its easy to find good 'Traditional' Japanese food, I'm afraid I'm going to have to burst your bubble because it is, unfortunately not so. You might be able to find a chain store specializing in certain foods such as 'Tenya' (Tempura), 'Yoshinoya' (Donburi), and 'Katsu-ya' (Tonkatsu) around every second corner, but to be able to find a decent home style food outlet is rather rare. The fast food equivalent just doesn't compare to a home-cooked meal, and not being able to actually find it available (and at a price fit for a poor student) has made me feel quite disappointed.

But, quite on the contrary, I've found lots of delicious italian eateries around, AND at affordable prices also!

One was found at a restaurant in Shibuya, it was underground and was neatly designed, and fitted with three storeys of stone and rock to give a 'cavely eccentric' feel. Also keeping with all things Japanese, it was immaculately clean and organised.

For about 800yen, I was able to enjoy a medium sized serving of 'Wafu-style pasta' with fish bait with garlic toast and a small side salad with sesame and mayo dressing. At first bite all I tasted was salt, but mixed in with the pasta, it gave off a pleasant, but not too 'fishy-salty' aftertaste. Nicely drizzled with olive oil, the crunchy little fish gave a good texture contrast to the pasta.

I thought it was such a great Japanese twist on pasta that I decided to make it for a friend one night/morning when I was craving to cook something.

He was still raving about it a week later.

I've also recently fallen in love with a small, at times sweet, bread roll named the 'Kurimi Pan' or Walnut bread, perhaps its the crunchy little bits of walnut mixed in, or the funky floral shapes it comes in, but I am completely blown over, if not obsessed with these little lovelies. So being me, I've been out scouting my area for the best ones, and whilst I haven't tried them all, I think I've settled on a favourite, the crunchy one at Togoshi-Ginza, at a little bakery, not sweet, but the nuts are roasted well and doughy on the inside.

BBQ in Kamagawa park

Being one of the few students that were left alone this week as the rest were off doing their homestay with their Japanese families, Kitano san invited us to join HER Family for a 'Picnic in the Park'. So off we all went, hungry as can be (though I couldn't stand it and bought some Onigiri with mugi-cha from a supermarket before we departed) awaiting the delicious food that would be cooked over a nice big barbeque grill.

After a few mishaps with the trains and ticket machines, we arrived and were picked up by Kitano san at the station and were quickly taken to her condiminium (which was absolutely stunning despite the fact that she had lived there for the past 6 years-it didn't look it) and helped carry the 3 tables, 6 chairs, 2 bbqs, 4 grill plates and bags full of food and disposables to the nearby park.

We were welcomed by the sounds of children playing, baseballs thudding against green mesh and encouraging-yet eager parents yelling, and planted ourselves besides a gorgeous tree with little foliage. It was absolutely charming.

The setting up started and the grilling commenced. Sweet potatoes, capsicum, wagyu beef, tiny chicken wings, shiitake mushrooms etc were all thrown on atop angry red woodchips. That alone made my mouth water, almost went crazy watching the oil sizzle and spit from the chicken fat. Yakisoba came soon after and was finished before you could even say 'itadakimasuu--'.

SATISFIED.

or so I thought.... when we retired back to her condiminium we had some more tea with ice-cream, watched Yuuki kun do his magic tricks as the chocolate nut brownie was prepared and chatted away as the gifts of kaki and nashi was prepared delicately and cut up.

Kitano san was definately a professional at hosting such get-togethers. as well as a drunk haha. gorgeous woman.

we bid our farewells as the sun set and were off heading towards Shinjuku to change trains to get back home.

Very satisfied.