torakris

This part I can understand! got it! thanks.

Hiroyuki, thanks for that chart and information, I wouldn't thought to use the word shubui to describe tea, I would definitely have said nigai.... Actually I would use bitter to describe all of those (coffee, chocolate, tea, wine and bamboo) and I have never heard the word egui before. What else could egui be used to describe?

I have never seen this before... post a picture next time you get them!

My husband hates sweetened eggs too! but I love them so that is what I make. I make (sweetened) kinshi tamago mostly for cold noodle dishes like hiyashi chukka or Korean style cold noodles.

word for 11/6: 奉書焼 houshoyaki (hoe-show-yah-key) Housho is a thick type of Japanese paper often used for ceremonial purposes. It can also be used to cook. Suzuki is one of the most common fish cooked this way, the whole fish is salted, often sprinkled with sake, wrapped in the housho paper and then baked. The finished fish can later be eaten with grated daikon radish, soy sauce and/or a citrus like sudachi. houshoyaki: http://www.nogawaya.com/image/obj_din03a.jpg

ONLY 1 TO 2 DAYS LEFT!!! depending on where you live.

has anyone else been noticing the greater variety in satsumaimo in recent years? One of my new favorites is the hayato-imo, which is very similar the the sweet potato I ate in the US. Two weeks ago I bought a satsumaimo sampler from my co-op, that included three varieties ( "regular", an orange one and purple one--I forget the names). The supermarket closest to my house has a little satsumaimo section right now, along with a couple types of the "regular" satsumaimo, they have 4 other varieties. I bought three of them-- the hayato-imo, 安納こがね (I am not sure how to pronounce the kanji.. ) and a purple variety that I forget the name of.. some pictures of the different types can be found here: http://www.k-yurakukan.com/floor/yakata/imo/imo.htm

also from the daily nihongo, on sweetie: word for 12/4: スィーティー suiiteii (sue-wee-tea) In English this is referred to as sweetie, sweetie grapefruit and sometimes oroblanco. It is a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo, they are the same size as a grapefruit with green skin but a taste much sweeter than a grapefruit. Though "discovered" in the US, Isreal seems to be the biggest producer. They entered the Japanese market in 1991 on a huge "boom" and were a very popular flavor for gum and candies, sweetie gum is still a popular flavor. Unlike grapefruit which are on the market all year round, the sweeties have a short season running November to February. * I have eaten this before and wasn't very impressed, I prefer it as a gum flavor....

take a look at this post in the daily nihongo thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...60entry321560 for more about yuzu, including a picture of the yellow kind. the post after it talks about sudachi and kabosu.

11/5 Though suzuki is commonly prepared as sushi/sashimi as well as other common Japanese preparations like shio-yaki (salt grilled), it is a very popular fish to be cooked with western techniques. So you will also find it grilled, roated, sauteed, etc and often looking something like this: http://cookpad.com/images/recipe/U2665R14977main.jpg

I haven't seen the cultivted hon-shimeji, but then I haven't been paying attention either.... I will take a look around when I go shopping next week.

I made a matcha mousse yesterday.

Chinese Restaurant News' official list of The Top 100 Chinese Restaurants for 2004 has been announced today at a press conference co-sponsored with the All Asia Food Expo at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. Winners from various categories in a total of 29 states and the District of Columbia were included in the listings. Nationwide chains such as Panda Express, China Buffet, and P.F. Chang's were included on the roll as well as Alabama's Hunan Garden, Utah's China Lily Restaurant and New York City's Grand Sichuan Restaurant on 9th Avenue. check out the list here: http://c-r-n.com/english/content.asp-category_id=36711.htm thoughts?

I am still debating what kind of nabe to have, thanks for the reminder!

word for 11/4: あらい arai (ah-rah-ee) Arai means to wash. Arai (Washing): The arai technique is applied to sea bass, which becomes fatty and flavorful in summer, and carp, which lives in freshwater. After bleeding a live fish and cleaning it (eliminating intestines and bones), we make thin slices and then wash them in cold water to reduce the unnecessary fat content. The sliced pieces are served with a dipping sauce of miso and vinegar. from http://www.eeude.com/page069.html suzuki no arai http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/yoi-mana.ti...suzuki_arai.jpg

I don't use too many ceramics outside of my donabe (clay pot), I found a bit on teh care here: http://www.japanesegifts.com/donabe_one_pot.htm Care & Use of Donabe - Though the donabe takes direct flame, the pot must not be shocked with sudden high heat or cold. The donabe can be used in both the oven, on an open flame or electric stove top. The unglazed outside must be completely dry before placing it on a burner or water in the porous clay will expand and crack the dish. Like all dishes, it should never be left empty on any type of heat. The donabe can be placed in the dish washer but take great care that it does not hit other pots or pans during the was cycle for it may crack or chip it. It is best to hand wash the donabe. I am not sure about the absorbing water though.....

I don't think I have ever liked the chocolate sweet-salty combo. the only thing I like covered in chocolate are raisins, coconut, almonds and caramels and cherries! I don't care for any other fruits or nuts in chcocolate.... I would say that my tastes have changed in that I really don't care for the super sweet foods anymore, I have a hard time with most American style cakes, cookies, donuts, etc, especially the frosting...

are you drinking it or cooking with it? For the best taste when drinking it should be used up as soon as possible and stored in a cool, dark place. My bottle of sake for cooking has been sitting in my cupboard for about 8 + months now.... and it is still fine for cooking uses.

My new favorite is called Spiced Baked Chickpeas from Jack Bishop's The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook. Soak the chickpeas overnight, simmer with a bay leaf for about 25 minutes, add some salt and simmer up to 20 minutes more until tender but still firm. Drain, then toss with EVOO, ground cumin and salt, roast in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes until they are tender on the inside and have a slight crunch on the outside. Serve still warm. These are addictive! and have been a staple at my BBQ's for almost 2 years now...

my kid's favorite is the dashi-maki (atsu-yaki) tamago, I add dashi, soy , sugar and salt and do it in a round frypan like Hiroyuki. I add nothing as I prefer the plain taste of eggs for this. I make some type of omelet for my husband's bento almost every morning, favorites of my husband and kids are hijiki omelet, a sheet of nori in the middle, or with scallions and sesame oil.

and to give people an idea of the prices today eggs about 10~20 yen for 1 tofu 80~200 yen per pack rice average about 4,000~5,000yen per 10kg

my daughter Julia (1st grade) came home with some acorn cookies yesterday that they made at school. Last week on trip to the park they collected the acorns and yesterday they turned them into cookies. they were really quite good, had a nutty taste to them

I had to pick up some yogurt the other day... this is what the sugar looks like they only contain about 15 grams...

I just ran across these: http://www.e-royce.com/servlet/product?item=920 chocolate covered potato chips..... why would someone do this???? I also recently had the joy of eating chocolate covered gummies, I couldn't spit it out fast enough. for the record, I also hate chocolate covered pretzels....

word for 11/3: 文化の日 bunka no hi "Culture Day" Today is Culture Day in Japan! Originally Meiji Emperor's birthday, (current Emperor's great-grandfather) renamed Culture Day after his reign. Every year on this day the Japanese government gives out Bunka Kunsho (the highest rank of Culture Award) to a few people who devoted their lives to promoting Japanese culture or higher achievements in academic fields. Photos featuring the recipients and their spouses taken in the Imperial Palace grounds will be found on the front pages of Japanese newspapers on this day. Many other awards will also be given to thousands of people who made distinguished contributions to Japanese society. Many institutions of higher education such as Japanese universities and high schools hold Culture Day to display their research projects, hold debate sessions, etc. November 3rd is one of the days with the highest probability of fine weather over the past 100 years of meteorological record keeping in Japan. Chrysanthemum displays are also found in various gardens around town. from http://www.asij.ac.jp/elementary/japan/jp_holi.html