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eG Foodblog: Torakris - New Year's Festivities in Japan

torakris

By torakris
in Food Traditions & Culture

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torakris

torakris

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I love your blog (been lurking and reading all of it). No, I don't think you're a cruel mom either, but you reminded me of something my sister did many years ago when my nieces were small. She had read that chicken pox was not serious for youngsters, but if they caught it as an adult (or worse yet, and expectant mother), there would be serious complications. Therefore, when she found out a friend's children had chicken pox, she took her daughters to visit SO THEY WOULD CATCH IT and get over it while they were young. I still don't know if that was a good or bad thing :unsure:

Actually this is what I did to my 3 kids almost 2 years ago. :biggrin:

My friends daughter had just come down and it was perfect timing as they would be starting sprink break in a couple weeks and wouldn't have to miss any school.

It worked out perfectly and they didn't miss a day of school, they all had pretty mild cases with no fevers and few spots (they were countable).

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

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Ok working on breakfast here. I am drinking my iced coffee, nibbling on honeydew melon (served cutting board style :biggrin: ) and am about to make toast and scrambled eggs.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

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After breakfast my husband decided he wanted to go look for a hat, he had seen one at Odaiba (an area of Tokyo) that we were at 2 weeks ago. We decided to go look at World Porters, a shopping and restaurant complex in Yokohama. When we got there we also decided to check out the Aka Renga (or red brick) Warehouse that opened a little while ago and we hadn't been to yet.

Some pictures of the Mianto Mirai area of Yokohama (one of my favorite places on earth)

i1912.jpg

i1916.jpg

Yokohama Bay with a Japan Coast Guard boat

i1913.jpg

Aka Renga Warehouse

i1914.jpg

these two building look like nothing but the insides are gorgeous!

It has a fascinating mix of shops and a lot of antique type places as well as Yokohama glass, it isn't exactly the best place to take children......

We had some ice cream at Yokohama Bashamichi Ice.

Ice cream first went on sale in Japan in 1869 on Bashamichi Street (Bashamichi Dori ) in Yokohama, bashamichi means horse drawn carriage road as this was where the first horse drawn carriage station was. Becasue of its popular port, Yokohama was the entry point for a lot of "Western" things.

This is the old fashioned ice cream with just milk, sugar and eggs, I had one of their seasonal specials the matcha (green tea) mont blanc with chocolate ice cream inside, the kids had the special kids sundae.

i1915.jpg

We then went into World Porters where I found a gorgeous necklace for $10, the girls picked up some Power Puff Girls goods, Hide got a Thomas the tank engine top (like a spinning top) and my husband bought nothing.....

we had a snack kind of lunch of hotdogs for the kids a spicy dog (hot dog topped with salsa) for me and my husband had a pastrami sandwich. We all drank water.

We are now home and my husband is preparing dinner

:biggrin:

otanoshimi.....

that means something like " I am looking foward to it"

I guess I can work on something for dessert, I got a really good deal on some strawberries.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

Louisa Chu

Louisa Chu

Posted
Posted (edited)

I want that green tea Mont Blanc chocolate ice cream thing! Kristin, are Mont Blancs common in Japan? And do they do them with chestnut paste there too? I'm going to have a Matcha green tea galette des rois from Aoki Patisserie here in Paris this coming week - and a chocolate one from chocolatier Jean-Paul Hevin - but I would to have the two flavours in one!

Edited by loufood (log)
Movable Feast
Mayhaw Man

Mayhaw Man

Posted
Posted

That Green Tea Ice Cream looks great. Thanks for the photos.

Thomas the Tank Engine. My boys have out grown it now but for a while we were covered up in Thomas. Trains, pillows, lunchboxes, etc. etc. It was one of the few childrens series that I liked to watch. The animation was fun and Ringo Starr and George Carlin were great at reading the scripts. Nice to see that it is still popular with children (of all ages :wink: ).

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

hillvalley

hillvalley

Posted
Posted

we had a snack kind of lunch of hotdogs for the kids a spicy dog (hot dog topped with salsa) for me and my husband had a pastrami sandwich. We all drank water.

Who knew you could get a pastrami sandwich in Japan? That's a riot. Does it come on rye bread with mustard? I have one last question. What food do you miss that you can't get or just isn't the same over there?

Thank you again for your blog. I am sorry to see it end, I have learned so much. The pictures were great!

True Heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. -Arthur Ashe

Pan

Pan

Posted
Posted

I'll hate to see it end, too, but it hasn't ended until Kris says it has, I reckon. :biggrin:

Michael aka "Pan"

 

torakris

torakris

Posted
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I want that green tea Mont Blanc chocolate ice cream thing! Kristin, are Mont Blancs common in Japan? And do they do them with chestnut paste there too? I'm going to have a Matcha green tea galette des rois from Aoki Patisserie here in Paris this coming week - and a chocolate one from chocolatier Jean-Paul Hevin - but I would to have the two flavours in one!

Mont Blancs are immensely popular here. Normally made with chestnuts they are probably one of the most popular sellers in cake shops and convenience stores!

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

we had a snack kind of lunch of hotdogs for the kids a spicy dog (hot dog topped with salsa) for me and my husband had a pastrami sandwich. We all drank water.

Who knew you could get a pastrami sandwich in Japan? That's a riot. Does it come on rye bread with mustard?

Please don't get your hopes up about finding a good pastrami sandwich in Japan!

Unfortunately where we were eating had a big sign of no taking photos, so I couldn't get a picture. Apparently you are not allowed to take pictures anywhere inside World Porters :blink::angry:

the pastrami sandwich looked like some kind of chipped, peppery beef mixed with chopped onions and what appeared to be a bottled French dressing (Japanese French dressing is a clear white and mild flavored) and was served on a hot dog roll.... :blink:

Edited by torakris (log)

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

Jake

Jake

Posted
Posted

Who knew you could get a pastrami sandwich in Japan? That's a riot. Does it come on rye bread with mustard?

Please don't get your hopes up about finding a good pastrami sandwich in Japan!

Unfortunately where we were eating had a big sign of no taking photos, so I couldn't get a picture. Apparently you are not allowed to take pictures anywhere inside World Porters :blink::angry:

the pastrami sandwich looked like some kind of chipped, peppery beef mixed with chopped onions and what appeared to be a bottled French dressing (Japanese French dressing is a clear white and mild flavored) and was served on a hot dog roll.... :blink:

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

torakris

torakris

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I have one last question. What food do you miss that you can't get or just isn't the same over there?

Very good question!!!

When I first came over here, I had these incredible cravings for Taco Bell!! :blink:

Everytime I went back to the states I would hit the drive thru on the way home from the airport....

It took about three years for me to realize that Taco Bell tastes like crap and I can't even recall the last time I ate it. I do miss Tex-Mex style food though, it can be hard to find though there are a couple places.

I also really (and still do) miss sandwiches, REAL sandwiches.

When I first came to Japan sandwiches could only be bought in convenience stores, wher one of the most popular ones was a potato salad sandwich, two slices of white bread with potato salad inside! :shock: or you could go to a kissaten (a coffee/tea shop) where you could pay $10 for a thin slice of ham and a piece of wimpy lettuce on white......

When I was pregnant with my first, they opened Subway. I personally kept them in business for a couple months, eating a spicy Italian everyday for lunch (with all the toppings including jalapenos, no mayo or dressing just mustard).

Subway didn't do too well here (I guess because they didn't offer potato salad as an option) and occasionally we will run across a branch and stop in (the one by my house closed about 5 years ago :sad: )

There are also certain foods that I really miss like sweet yellow peaches, granny smith appples, rasperries, blackberries, artichokes (you can find these here but they cost like $6 a piece!), American sweet potatos (the deep orange fleshed ones), t-bone steaks, thick cut pork chops, need I go on........

The food I miss the absolute most?

I may lose my foodie status here by saying this

sour patch kids...... :blink:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Who knew you could get a pastrami sandwich in Japan? That's a riot. Does it come on rye bread with mustard?

Please don't get your hopes up about finding a good pastrami sandwich in Japan!

Unfortunately where we were eating had a big sign of no taking photos, so I couldn't get a picture. Apparently you are not allowed to take pictures anywhere inside World Porters :blink::angry:

the pastrami sandwich looked like some kind of chipped, peppery beef mixed with chopped onions and what appeared to be a bottled French dressing (Japanese French dressing is a clear white and mild flavored) and was served on a hot dog roll.... :blink:

So, I'm guessing good pastrami sandwiches might be something you miss?? :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Actually no because I don't like pastrami! :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I'll hate to see it end, too, but it hasn't ended until Kris says it has, I reckon. :biggrin:

I think I have one more day left, but the blog will live on in the Japan Forum!!!! :biggrin:

Feel free to ask any questions you might have over there or in my bio thread.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

Pan

Pan

Posted
Posted

What are sour patch kids? :biggrin::laugh: (Seriously, I don't know what they are.)

Michael aka "Pan"

 

torakris

torakris

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Saturday night dinner

My husband pulled out the dutch oven, set up the fire and fro 3 hours over a low heat cooked pork, onions, potatoes, carrots and cabbage (except for half the onions the other vegetables were added at later stages).

The pork was so tender it could be cut easily with a fork, we make something similar every now and then and it is really wonderful, we eat it with prepared horseradish.

It tastes so much better than it looks!!

i1919.jpg

my contribution

a strawberry cream cheese tart (from All Butter Fresh Cream Sugar Packed No-Holds Barred Backing Book by Judy Rosenberg)

I had a bunch of cream cheese I wanted to use up and I got a really good deal on the strawberries, my family loved it. I only had a tiny piece because I HATE cheesecake.

:blink:

i1920.jpg

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

Pan

Pan

Posted
Posted

Looks beautiful! Too bad you hate cheesecake and, thus, couldn't fully appreciate your creation.

Is it hard to cook something you hate?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

torakris

torakris

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Looks beautiful! Too bad you hate cheesecake and, thus, couldn't fully appreciate your creation.

Is it hard to cook something you hate?

yes it is difficult which is why I almost never do it! :biggrin:

I just had a huge 2lb block of cream cheese that I needed to use.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

Posted
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Posted

we have just finished breakfast.

Husband and son had large bowls of rice topped with natto, the girls had rice topped with furikake andi finished up the carrots and green beans from Friday.

I have also downed a huge tumbler of iced coffee and need to make some more.

I have a long day ahead of me as I have put off the laundry for 4 days. I usually try to do it everyday or at least every other day because like most people in Japan we don't have a dryer and it needs to be hung outside. And I don' have the space to hang out more than 3 loads.....

I also picked up a nice head of Chinese cabbage yesterday and will probably be making kimchee. :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

bloviatrix

bloviatrix

Posted
Posted
Some pictures of the Mianto Mirai area of Yokohama (one of my favorite places on earth)

i1912.jpg

What is that building on the far right that looks like an eighth of watermelon standing cut side down? It's very cool looking.

Kristin, how long did it take for you to become fully accustomed to the Japanese diet? Were there any foods that turned you off in the beginning?

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
Some pictures of the Mianto Mirai area of Yokohama (one of my favorite places on earth)

i1912.jpg

What is that building on the far right that looks like an eighth of watermelon standing cut side down? It's very cool looking.

Kristin, how long did it take for you to become fully accustomed to the Japanese diet? Were there any foods that turned you off in the beginning?

That building is the Grand Intercontinental Hotel.

By the way, the tall building on the left is Landmark tower the tallest building in Japan at 70 floors.

I didn't have too many problems with Japanese foods but teh two things that i couldn't stomach at first were anko (a sweetened red bean paste) and shiso (the perilla leaf).

I just couldn't handle sweet beans, and these are just lightly sweetened they are heavily sweetened and the worst thing was they would show up in unexpected places, places where you would be expecting chocolate!

My hatred for shiso (which is now one of my favorite foods) was so bad that I couldn't eat anything that had even gotten close to it on a plate (it is often used for garnish).

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

SethG

SethG

Posted
Posted
I just had a huge 2lb block of cream cheese that I needed to use.

:blink: I hate it when that happens.

Thanks for the blog, Kristen It's been very entertaining.

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Since I have last wrote, the kids and I had a mid morning snack of leftover melon and strawberries, then some Cheetos (which my husband joined us for).

Then I was off to the store to get some ingredients for kimchee making, I used it more as an excuse to get out of the house and have some time alone.... :blink:

It has been a long week and our place is just too small.

So anyway I wandered around the supermarket, not really needing anything but I ended up spending $15 and my basket looked like this:

butter

low fat milk (was 50% off)

masacrpone cheese (was 20% off), this is a Japanese brand that is sold with a packet of espresso sauce

kinako (roasted soy bean powder)

pine nuts

ika no shio-kara (squid fermented in its own guts) for the kimchee

hazelnut snickers bar (this was scarfed down in the car on the way home, I wanted the espresso snickers but they didn't have it :sad: )

I am not normally a big snacker, but this morning I was really hungry.....

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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